Under a Firm Fixed-Price Contract the US Air Force has chosen the Black Diamond Advanced Technology‘s Modular Tactical System (MTS) as their next-generation US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) Operator Control System (OCS). Used by Special Operations Forces and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers, the Battlefield Air Operations (BAO) OCS is a wearable solution, incorporating a tactical vest with power management and a rugged computing device, designed for dismounted Close Air Support operations and communications control.
A component of the BAO kit, the MTS is a wearable, combat-enabled tactical communications tool providing situational awareness and blue force tracking. It also functions as a precision strike tool that facilitates control of multiple mission-critical peripherals on a central display, eliminating battery and equipment redundancies and lightening the load on the operator.
With the MTS at the core, the overall solution reduces the time required for the JTAC to prosecute a target and increases accuracy and efficiency by allowing the operator to maximize the existing radio and air-asset capabilities during dismounted operations.
I was able to try out a version of the MTS last year. It is an impressive system that is integrated directly into an armor carrier. What really impressed me was that it is right there in front of you and you don’t have to pack up a laptop to move. You can quickly transition back and forth between the screen and your surroundings to maintain situational awareness.
You can run it through the paces as well at this week’s Warrior Expo East. Additionally, ADS Inc offers the MTS for units and organizations that require on the move computing but who are not part of this program of record.
Warrior Expo EAST
July 12 1030 – 1600 EDT
July 13 1030 – 1500 EDT
Virginia Beach Convention Ctr
Virginia Beach, VA
