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FELIN Update

Monday, November 8th, 2010

SSD was able to get a few minutes at the French Army (Armée de Terre) during AUSA. We had the pleasure to meet British-born Adjutant-Chef Alex Rowe who after being rejected by the British Army joined the Légion étrangère which is made up of foreign recruits. Oddly enough, he was rejected for service by the Brits because of a bad eye yet went on to serve as a sniper with the French and was awarded the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest medal for merit.

Adjudant-Chef Rowe is quite the hero, no matter whose Army he serves in and deserves his own article. We were quite surprised that he was acquainted with SSD and discussed the latest upgrades to the French Army’s future soldier system called FELIN (Fantassin à Équipement et Liaisons Intégrés or Integrated Equipment and Communications Infantryman).

Many of the most recent upgrades are software based and allow more intuitive control of the peripheral devices which can be attached to the Soldier’s personal network via either umbilical or blue tooth. Additional software enhancements are concerned with power management and switch off non critical systems as power levels subside. The French are also fielding battery charging stations that can be mounted in vehicles or connected to shore power in command post tents or buildings. The charging stations feature armor panels that protect the batteries from damage as well as protect Soldiers and vital electronics from the effects of a perforated lithium battery.

Adjudant-Chef Rowe also mentioned that the French Army is transitioning to the fourth generation of their combat uniform which we mentioned in February of this year. They are removing the Canadian slotted buttons from the chest as well as the patch pockets as they are uncomfortable under armor.

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Soldier Worn Integrated Power Equipment System

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

Electric Fuel Battery has developed the Soldier Worn Integrated Power Equipment System (SWIPES) which has caught the interest of the US Army’s Research Development Engineering Command. SWIPES provides Soldier worn Communications and Electronic devices a “trickle charge” from a Zinc-Air battery (provided with each SWIPES), which keeps the equipment’s charge consistently above 80%.

The SWIPES system uses a Hub and wiring system which is routed through the Soldier’s gear to its source (radio, DAGR or other application). The Hub is the brains of the system and automatically allows the correct amperage and voltage access to each application, thus taking the burden off of the Soldier. The Soldier simply drops his radio into the Multicam charging station and the Hub takes over the recharging responsibilities.

Each SWIPES Hub charges up to four devices and comes with:
– Two recharging stations. Currently the MBITR/JEM radio, the Motorola XTS Series radios and the FALCON 152 radio is supported.
– One DAGR recharging cord.
– One Zinc-Air BA-8140S battery with a Multicam carrying pouch.
– One Conformal 8140 battery to be worn in your rear body armor pouch.
– One extra wire is open and available on the SWIPES wiring harness for a future application.

Blackheart International is the sole distributor of the SWIPES system. And don’t forget, Blackheart will be available to support end of year purchases until 2400 on September 29th and 30th. In addition to the website, you can also call them at (304) 457-1280, or (877) 244-8166.

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Mobile Video Surveillance System

Sunday, August 22nd, 2010

At the recent TREXPO, we ran across a new technology that makes mobile video surveillance affordable to most any department of military organization. The one thing that struck as the adaptability of the system. It can be fitted to any vehicle with a standard trailer hitch and is powered through a simple cigarette lighter adapter. This means you don’t have to purchase an entirely new vehicle, but rather can adapt different vehicles for use as a surveillance system. For example, a van could be used during urban ops or a 4-wheel drive vehicle for use in rural areas and these same vehicles can be used for other purposes when the system is not in use. Additionally, it doesn’t require any long-term institutional training but can rather be learned on the job.

Both Luke and Holloman AFB have recently obtained a Mobile Video Surveillance (MVS) systems from Venture Tec LLC. The system is unique in that it incorporates an adjustable, telescopic mast hitch, which allows users to position the mast vertically at any location, including uneven or sloping terrain. The unit weighs approximately 85 pounds and unlike a trailer-mounted system, this surveillance system can be used anywhere the vehicle can go

The MVS system attaches to any vehicle with a standard 2” x 2” Class III receiver, requiring no vehicle modification and it pneumatically telescopes to elevations up to 32 feet. It’s simple to use, takes only a minute to raise or lower, and can operate day or night in all weather conditions. The MVS system can be equipped with a long range visible light camera and a thermal camera for complete darkness. All surveillance is done from inside the safety and comfort of the vehicle or command center, and all video is recorded with a date/time stamp. To operate the system, users simply tilt the mast to find vertical, lock it in place, and raise the mast to the desired height. The PTZ controller and video display provide an unparalleled view from above in all directions. When ready to relocate, users simply open the air release valve to lower the mast.
For more information, please visit www.mobilevideosurveillance.com.

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Precise Overlay Registration Within Augmented Reality

Sunday, July 4th, 2010

We know it sounds like a mouthful but the folks at Chicago-based Tanagram Partners are on to something. Essentially they are able to overlay geo-registered data sets over objects of interest. So, if you are looking at a building for example, additional information on that building can be accessed. Additionally, the information can applied to any form of imagery enhancement whether visual spectrum, IR, or night vision.

Check out Tanagram’s blog for more info.

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Army Names Ground Soldier System Nett Warrior

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

As the Army celebrated its 235th birthday on June 14th, a small ceremony was held in the Pentagon naming the Ground Soldier System in honor of World War II Medal of Honor recipient COL Robert B. Nett. The idea is similar to the Abrams tank and Bradley fighting vehicle. Not to trivialize the selection but we are sure it didn’t hurt that COL Nett had a cyber-esque name. But, truth be told, COL Nett was one hell of a man and one hell of a warrior. It’s a great honor for both him and the program.

“One of the things we discussed … was that we knew we wanted to maintain a warrior ethos, “COL Will Riggins, PM Soldier Warrior said. “We knew we wanted to honor a great American hero. We knew that we wanted it to be a maneuver leader. This is a leader system — to make them more effective. So it was a pretty easy choice.”

According to an Army press release, COL Nett, who died in 2008, enlisted in the Army in 1940, at the age of 17. He served until 1978, and attained the rank of colonel during his service. It was because of his actions during World War II, while serving as part of the Philippines Campaign, that he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

On Dec. 14, 1944, Nett was serving as a lieutenant in the Philippines. He served as part of Company E, 305th Infantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division. Nett commanded Company E in an attack against a reinforced battalion of Japanese that had held up the American advance for two days. Nett led the assault against the enemy soldiers.

While engaged with the enemy, Nett managed to kill seven Japanese using his rifle and bayonet. Despite being seriously wounded, he continued to lead his Soldiers. He was wounded an additional two times while attempting to achieve their objective.

The Nett Warrior system is currently undergoing developmental testing of 60 systems from three vendors and is expected to enter service in 2013.

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