Contract Award: SELEX Sistemi Integrati to support Italian Army's Out of Area Operations

News Report

As announced in a recent press release, Finmeccanica's SELEX Sistemi Integrati has been awarded new contracts worth a total of EUR 120 million.

The first contract, signed with the Italian Ministry of Defence, concerns the protection system upgrade for Italian Forward Operating Bases (FOB) and Fire Support Bases (FSB) operating in Afghanistan. SELEX Sistemi Integrati, as head of a temporary grouping of enterprises with two other Finmeccanica companies, SELEX Galileo and OTO Melara, will be responsible for the construction, installation and integration of the entire system.

The second contract, also signed with the Italian Ministry of Defence, relates to the upgrading of
various operational functions of the command and control system (SIACCON2) developed by SELEX Sistemi Integrati for the Italian Army and the connective infrastructure currently used by Italy’s Armed Forces in Afghanistan. This contract was also awarded to SELEX Sistemi Integrati as prime contractor of a temporary grouping of enterprises with other Finmeccanica companies, including SELEX Elsag and Telespazio.

SELEX Sistemi Integrati has signed further contracts with the Italian Ministry of Defence to maintain the Italian Army Information Management System (SIGE) and to develop new system services and functions for all of Italy’s Armed Forces.

Finally, the company has signed a contract with NATO agency NAHEMA both to develop the new mission planning system for the A129 combat helicopter, and to update the technology used in the mission planning system of the NH90 tactical transport helicopter. Both aircraft are used by the Italian Army.

The Technology

SELEX Sistemi Integrati has developed in the recent years a family of products and solutions for providing surveillance and protection of critical sites, including military bases, vital national infrastructures, power plants and industrial sites. These solutions exploit state-of-the-art middleware technologies, such as the Data Distrubution Service, for supporting systems integration, network-centric interoperability, plug-and-play system configuration, and operational flexibility. Under the terms of the contract, the surveillance integrated systems that will be provided to Italian Army include the man-portable LYRA10 radar, designed and manufactured by the same company, and several electro-optical sensors by SELEX Galileo. The supply also includes the creation of command and surveillance posts for the systems management, surveillance systems for airport areas, camera integrated systems for the internal surveillance of entrances, robotic systems in “combat” version manufactured by OTO Melara for the protection of the bases, acoustic systems by SELEX Galileo able to locate the fire sources. SELEX Sistemi Integrati will also be responsible for the transport, installation in site and the integration and management of all the systems installed.

SELEX Sistemi Integrati is also Prime Contractor and Design Authority for the Italian Army's Automated Command and Control System, named SIACCON (Sistema Automatizzato di Commando e Controllo). The systems was introduced into the Italian Army in 2000 for supporting Division and Brigade level Command and Control operations, and was then upgraded by introduction of advanced interoperability mechanisms, additional Functional Areas, and for extending its functionalities at the lower echelons.

The system is now scalable both in hardware and software terms, enabling its use at all levels from Division to Platoon and squad level. The core system remains the same at all levels, but higher headquarters have a more comprehensive range of operational functions. A typical Command Post (CP) configuration consists of a fusion centre and one or more CP cells. The fusion centre contains database servers to store all the operational data, a family of servers to provide generic services such as Mail, Web, DHCP and DNS services, and telecommunication and encryption devices. The system uses standard common data models for database replication, enabling interoperability with other systems. SIACCON provides a common operational picture to all users, with live locational information provided via GPS. The system provides functional support across the full range of staff branches and also includes specific functionality to support Operations Other Than War (OOTW). General purpose capabilities include: digital mapping, vector and raster mapping, navigational functions, terrain analysis, and 3-D viewformal message.

The SIACCON system constitutes the Command and Control backbone of the Italian Army's Forza NEC network-enabled architecture for digitized units. SELEX Sistemi Integrati is the main supplier and system integrator, with other Finmeccanica companies and other indepentent firms providing specialized equipments and sub-systems.

Reference: Finmeccanica (1), SELEX Sistemi Integrati (2), Jane's (3)

Marshall Land Systems demonstrated improved network interoperability for UK MOD Forward Operating Bases

News Report

As announced in a recent press release, a team from Marshall Land Systems has recently deployed as part of Team Castrum on GBA2, a demonstration of network concepts and standardisation for Forward Operating Bases, held at Caerwent, South Wales. During the demonstration to the UK MOD and other interested observers the team showed a generic base architecture (GBA) which enables information to be freely moved around a secure network and between FOBs providing commanders from section level upwards with operational and logistic data.

During the exercise, Team Castrum, led by Finmecanica Battlespace Solutions, demonstrated a family of fully networked, sustainable and deployable bases all interacting with one another. Marshall Land Systems provided perimeter surveillance using its Trakker unmanned ground vehicle fitted with a 3 meter Clark Mast on top of which was Chess Dynamics’ OWL thermal imaging and video cameras. Fitted to the rear of the vehicle was a Roke Manor Resolve EW system.

Base security was provided from a Marshall SafeBase deployable armoured sangar fitted with a Selex Galileo remote weapon station. A sensor fit could also be deployed.

SafeBase is based on a 10ft Marshall shelter with a rising sentry position, which can be lifted into position in 30 seconds. Once deployed the space in the base of the tower can have multiple uses. It can for example serve as a mini operations room or as an RWS (Remote Weapon Station) control station.

Marshall provided a main briefing facility in an expandable shelter fitted with TV monitors and networked briefing stations. In other parts of the main FOB were a laundry unit and ablutions block provided by the company's Norwegian partner, CSI. These shelters were supported by a deployable incinerator provided in partnership with Inciner8. All of these units can be networked into the GBA and provide commanders with information on water and fuel usage and waste management and in the briefing centre an overall situational awareness picture.

The Context (GBA, FOBEX)

A Forward Operating Base (or FOB) is a military base which provides troops with a secure location to operate from in forward areas. A FOB may be used over extended periods of time and although not able to provide full support facilities, it provides the infrastructure troops need to survive in the field, including accommodation, living/dining quarters, even an airfield in some cases. Because of their remote locations a FOB must be self sufficient – in forward areas there are no power grids to plug into. The base must provide the power needed to support the all of the infrastructure. Currently all bases are powered by diesel generators, necessitating regular and hazardous resupply convoys.

Forward Operationg Bases should be modular and simply deployable. In their design they must conform where feasible to open standards, thus allowing greater flexibility of configuration, interoperability and portability of component parts. This reduces logistic footprint whilst maximising their utility. A systems approach should ensure their individual integrity and architectural commonality across the generic ‘family’. They should also offer climatic protection in extreme conditions, 24 hour and all-weather performance, and be deployable in complex terrain. The current design for such bases is heavily reliant upon networked information and intelligence to support command. Bases should be protected by layered local surveillance, operating across the electromagnetic spectrum.

GBA (Generic Base Architecture) and FOBEX (Forward Operating Base Exercise) is UK Defence’s future deployable Tactical Base (TB) capability in the land environment. The requirement for this development work is partly based upon emerging experience and operational requirements from Operation Herrick (the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted since 2002). The generic base architecture project aims to develop the thinking of the tactical base as a system, rather than a collection of constituent parts, that will enable them to be easily adapted when the need arises, cutting the work in theatre, and reducing the operational burden.

Comments

"Team Castrum was a great partnership and all parties learnt a lot. GBA2 (FOBEX) has enabled us to demonstrate to a wide range of military and industrial customers, how Marshall Land Systems can integrate into an overall operating base concept. Working as part of Team Castrum has given us an even greater depth of knowledge of networking within a deployed environment," said Peter Callaghan, Chief Executive of Marshall Land Systems.

"The idea of FOBEX is looking at ways we can be more efficient. Having lighter and more portable kit, which is quicker to assemble and creates more of a standard base, will not only use less energy but save lives," said Captain Christian Hulme, of the UK Royal Engineers.

References: Marshall-LS (1), Finmeccanica (2), Connect (3), UK MOD (4)

Lockheed Martin's new Multi-sensor Graphical User Interface supports route clearance and surveillance missions

News Report

As reported in a recent press release, Lockheed Martin was selected by the U.S. Army’s Research Development And Engineering Command, Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (RDECOM CERDEC) Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) to demonstrate an advanced slew-to-cue sensor system designed to provide greater situational awareness during route clearance and surveillance missions.

The System

Lockheed Martin's Multi-sensor Graphical User Interface (MS GUI) is a backwards compatible upgrade kit for fielded Gyrocam systems currently deployed with the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps.

MS GUI allows the operator to use a touch screen display capability to slew between reference cameras, such as the Driver’s Vision Enhancer, and the Gyrocam Vehicle Optics Sensor System (VOSS), to simultaneously search for potential threats while interrogating identified hazards on route clearance missions.

The Context

Under a cooperative research and development agreement with NVESD, Lockheed Martin will continue to enhance capabilities of the MS GUI system for use in various situational awareness applications, paving the way for the eventual fielding of the technology.

Comments

“We are pleased to partner with NVESD to integrate MS GUI into the Gyrocam VOSS suite of capabilities to support route clearance missions,” said Kennan Walker, business development manager in Lockheed Martin’s Gyrocam Systems business. “By working together to meet the increasing demand for enhanced situational awareness, we are providing our warfighters with an advanced capability that detects, identifies and tracks insurgent threats from safe stand-off distances and significantly reduces operator fatigue.”

References: Lockheed Martin (1)

US Army's KRAKEN Protection System

U.S. Army Kraken (U.S. Army)

References: U.S. Army, Business Insider

News Report

As reported in a U.S. Army's press release, the Army is evaluating the development of a cutting-edge "Combat Outpost Surveillance and Force Protection System" (COSFPS) which combines radar, surveillance cameras, unmanned sensors, gunshot detection and remote-controlled weapons. The COSFPS is nicknamed "Kraken" after the mythological sea creature with many heads, and was evaluated in July 2011 as part of the Army's 3,800-Soldier-strong Network Integration Evaluation, or NIE at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The exercise was designed to assess and integrate a host of technologies.

The System

Kraken is an ISU-90 containerized system and includes the following hardware devices for detection: an Elta Ground Master Ground Systems Radar, or GSR, an STS-1400 GSR, L3 AN/PRS-9 BAIS Unattended Ground Sensors and five "Shot Spotters," sensors designed to detect direct or indirect enemy gunfire.

For assessment and identification, a series of 11 cameras are strategically aligned to cover a 360-degree view, including electro-optical/infra-red, low-light perimeter and Forward-Looking Infra-Red, or FLIR, HRC-X all-weather day and night thermal cameras; two of the cameras, a laser rangefinder and a GSR are rotatable atop a 10-meter mast.

Eight white and infra-red perimeter lights are included for night operations, two PRI Trap 250s are employed for defending and two laptops with two larger displays are included for command and control.

The radar on top of the mast can detect people at distances up to 10 kilometers and vehicles out to 20 kilometers. Also, Kraken has a second mid-range GSR which scans a full 360 degrees every second and is engineered to interface with video cameras, ground sensors and remote weapons applications. Kraken also contains a laser pointer/illuminator.

The cameras, radar and lights are fortified by seismic/acoustic sensors, infra-red or magnetic sensors engineered with sophisticated algorithms designed to identify targets such as enemy personnel or vehicles based on combined seismic and acoustic signatures.

Powered by a 10-kilowatt Tactical Quiet Generator, Kraken's two remote weapons stations can accommodate an M249 Semi-Automatic Weapon or an M240 machine gun.

Kraken's sensors and weapons are combined into a single, integrated system that can scan surrounding terrain for threats, alert Soldiers of potential imminent danger and provide them fires to respond. The individual technologies assembled for the Kraken are integrated through a government-owned, scalable and open architecture software called Joint Force Protection Advanced Security System, or JFPASS.

The JFPASS software enables data from all of Kraken's system components to be integrated via a standard protocol, fused and conditionally automated; the information is displayed on screens showing a Common Operating Picture, referred to as COP.

The Context

Kraken represents a partnership between the U.S. Army's Rapid Equipping Force and JPMG (Joint Project Manager Guardian). Specifically, it was co-developed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Physical Security Equipment Action Group and the Joint Program Executive Office-Chemical and Biological Defense, with oversight by the Rapid Fielding Directorate, Director Defense Research & Engineering to address the issue of forces being at risk because current technologies, concept of operations, and policies do not provide a comprehensive, effective, and sustainable force-protection capability.

The U.S. DoD Joint Force Protection Advanced Security System (JFPASS) Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) provides a real-time, integrated / interoperable, comprehensive land and maritime-based regional and local Force Protection (FP) system to counter threats. This is a precedent-setting solution to Joint FP that is sponsored by a Joint Science & Technology organization, the DoD Physical Security Equipment Action Group. The JFPASS JCTD integrates Physical Security and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive systems through the application of an integrated Command and Control architecture and a fusion engine.

 

The next step for Kraken should be enhancing the platform to encompass larger areas of responsibility, linking up multi-service systems -- so that Air Force planes, for instance, can relay information to ground units seamlessly and accurately.

Comments

"While the sensor and device payload is impressive and probably offers the most force protection per cubic foot compared to any other system, the key is the integration standard, fusion and automation which reduces troop to task and provides increased situational awareness -- thus resulting in more reaction time for the warfighter," said Tom O'Neill, U.S. Integrated Base Defense Product director, Joint Project Manager Guardian.

"We've been able to positively identify targets before they got in range with weapons on our COP. They have tried to raid us multiple times, but we have been able to positively identify them and engage them before they got close. This is great for tracking the people coming in and out of your AO," said Pvt. James Benham, a forward observer who has been evaluating Kraken/COSFPS in a series of mock-combat exercises at a WSMR "Mountain Village" outpost.

"Kraken's six-kilometer continuous sweep can detect anything the size of a head -- including rabbits, deer or birds," Benham said. "The system also has an option where you can emplace sensor overlays. If I get a hit on a sensor, I am able to instantly slew my cameras to that location."

Further Readings

• JFPASS
• FLIR HRC-Series