The AN/MSR-1 was used by USAF Security Agency personnel during the Viet Nam war to monitor friendly communications in SIGSEC missions. Capable of monitoring HF, VHF and UHF radio transmissions, the AN/MSR-1 could also monitor microwave communications. In addition to three receivers, the system was originally equipped with 12 tape recorders.
This ‘Misery’ is on display at the USAF Museum’s South East Asia War gallery at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH.
If you’ve never seen an underwater Remote Operated Vehicle in action, you need to check out this SeaBotix model.
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ADS took a look at one of the issues that continues to face deployed troops; access to C4ISR feeds. They assembled a team of industry partners including Granite Tactical Vehicles, FLIR, Harris and SYNEXXUS to create a C4ISR Vehicle Concept Demonstrator.
Using COTS items, this team has been able to streamline the way Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and and Reconnaissance data is delivered and displayed to the personnel in the vehicle. It’s now easier to see, interpret and share.
FLIR offers these enhancements to the Demonstrator:
FLIR Systems DV/SA provides Driver Visual Enhancement and Situational Awareness has been used on both wheeled and tracked platforms. It offers the following suite of options:
• Dual Sensor with both thermal and day cameras (enabling blending)
• Single Sensor with thermal camera.
• Cameras with motorized protective lid and cleaning brush.
• 55 degree field of view for increased performance.
• 90 degree field of view for wide angle situational awareness.
FLIR Systems TALON:
• High-performance multi-sensor thermal imaging system in a compact, lightweight 9” package.
• This system offers up to six simultaneous payloads including: IR, Color, CCD, EMCCD, Laser Pointer or Laser Illuminator, LRF and IMU.
• The FLIR Systems TALON offers operators a continuous zoom 640 x 480 infrared IR camera and 2 EO options (color and color/ EMCCD combination) which permit high resolution imagery both day and night
Harris is well known for providing communications systems and the C4ISR Vehicle Concept Demonstrator is no different with the integration of the AN/PRC-117G.
• JTRS Certified, NSA Type-1 Certified, JITC Certified for Narrowband Interoperability Assessment and compliance with DAMA standards
• Includes SINCGARS, Havequick II, VHF/UHF AM and FM, High Performance Waveform (HPW), MIL-STD-188-181B SATCOM.
• Uses the Harris Adaptive Networking Wideband Waveform (ANW2) for high bandwidth data operation and is designed for future upgrade to the Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW)
If FLIR is the eyes of the system and Harris the ears, SYNEXXUS provides the central nervous system.
The ELECTRONIC KEEL® V5.3 is a modular, data/video distribution architecture, designed for rugged reliability with open standard industry inputs. The EKEEL’s open operating system and open published API and GUI software provide the operator with access to platform sensors, radios, applications and other government furnished equipment (GFE) or customer furnished equipment (CFE) with single button actuation and intuitive interface. All platform sub-systems are able to be viewed, controlled and shared from a single interface through one or more independently controlled and simultaneously viewed resistive-touch, multi-function displays. Any government provided software and applications can be used in conjunction with or as an alternative to the system’s software suite.
• Combat-Proven, TRL-9 Rated Digital Backbone
• Operationally Deployed in Theater Since 2009
• Modular, Open Hardware and Software Interfaces
• Access, Control and Network All Platform GFE, Apps and Systems
• Increased Situational Awareness, Decreased SWaP
In this ADStv video, representatives from each of the vendors discuss the capabilities they bring to this project.
With the integration of these different, yet complimentary, capabilities into an upgraded, armored vehicle platform, the ADS C4ISR Vehicle Concept Demonstrator has shown a system that doesn’t suffer from the band-aid fixes that have plagued the legacy HMMWV program over the years. The interior is streamlined and future capabilities can more easily be integrated into the architecture. This is certainly a viable path forward to refit the existing HMMWV fleet with new capabilities.
For more information visit www.ADSinc.com.
During Warrior Expo, ADS Inc exhibited a new concept demonstrator that integrates C4ISR technologies directly into a lightly armored vehicle based on the legacy HMMWV. While the demonstrator is packed with a variety of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and and Reconnaissance capabilities, it would mean nothing if you couldn’t protect the men and women inside the vehicle. That’s where project partner Granite Tactical Vehicles steps in. They’ve developed a set of five upgrade packages for the HMMWV. The High Mobility, Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle has been with us for over 30 years. Over this time, they’ve applied a variety of fixes to the vehicle, but fundamentally there 25 deficiencies in the design.
Over time, the HMMWV evolved from this simple replacement for the Jeep to an armored battle taxi. Along the way, it became overweight and underpowered.
Engineers at Granite Tactical Vehicles have created five kits to enhance the vehicle’s capabilities:
1) GTV’s proprietary up-armored crew capsule offers 360 degree blast / ballistic protection with underbody armor and a V-Hull. That V-Hull is one of the most effective features to mitigate the effects of IEDs.
2) Upgraded brake calipers and larger rotors, upgraded shocks, spring mounts, lift kit (centered front differential allowing 4 identical half-shafts), frame enhancements and suspension to support up-armored capsule and return vehicle to expected mobility.
3) Upgraded turbo-charged 6.5 liter diesel engine.
4) Upgraded 4L85 transmission, which is critical to overcoming torque deficiency of standard Humvee.
5) Upgraded cooling / radiator system to ensure larger engine is efficiently and effectively cooled during operation.
In fact, application of these five kits, not only enhanced the capabilities of the HMMWV (of which we have thousands still in service) but also weighs in at 200 lbs below the current UpArmored variant. As funding for programs like the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle are reprogrammed for other needs, upgrades such as this, to existing equipment are a great way to extend their lifecycle as well as enhance capabilities.
Justin Boyle of ADS goes over the five upgrade kits for the HMMWV in this short video from ADStv.
For more information visit www.ADSinc.com.
During Warrior Expo, ADS Inc exhibited a new concept demonstrator that integrates C4ISR technologies directly into a lightly armored vehicle based on the legacy uparmored HMMWV. For those unfamiliar, C4ISR includes Command, Control, Communications, Computers as well as Intelligence, Surveillance and and Reconnaissance capabilities. It’s not that this is a dedicated command and control vehicle or even a scout vehicle but rather, ADS recognizes that over the last 10 years, there has been a boom in the deployment of new C4ISR technologies. The real hurdle is delivering this disparate information to the end user and then, making sense of all of it.
ADS teamed with Granite Tactical Vehicles, FLIR, Harris and SYNEXXUS. Everything here is Commercial-Off-The-Shelf. It’s just been configured in such a way that the whole is greater than the sum of its individual components.
If you were at Warrior East, I hope you had a chance to check out this vehicle. If not, ADStv created three video segments that we will use to show what it’s all about. Below, John Fristachi from ADS of ADS discusses the project.
To learn more contact ADS Inc.
Late last week we saw the release of a letter from Rep Duncan Hunter (R-CA) to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Director, National Intelligence LTG James Clapper (USAF, Ret) regarding the impending nomination of US Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, LTG Mary Legere to take the place at Director, Defense Intelligence Agency, of the out going LTG Mike Flynn. What makes this letter so interesting is that Rep Hunter is in opposition to LTG Legere’s appointment. LTG Legere is a career Military Intelligence Officer with a varied tactical intelligence background. I don’t believe that her experience is in question.
To read the letter click the link:
Rep Duncan Hunter on New DIA Nomination
Rather, Rep Hunter’s opposition all pivots around the long-plagued Distributed Common Ground System-Army (DCGS-A) program, and in particular its migration to a classified cloud computing environment which would allow users to access more data, from more locations. For those of you unfamiliar, DCGS-A is the Army’s primary system to post data, process information, and disseminate Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) information about the threat, weather, and terrain to echelons. DCGS-A provides commanders the ability to task battle-space sensors and receive intelligence information from multiple sources. Analysts claim it requires extensive contract support, is often down, is not intuitive and generally difficult to use. What they do like is a computer program called Palantir. Named after mythological Seeing Stones, Palantir was developed with help from the not-for-profit In-Q-Tel venture fund which is designed to assist promising technologies to support the US Intelligence Community. According to everyone who uses it, it works, and works well. How well? The data to track down arch-terrorist Usama bin Laden was reportedly analyzed and developed in a Palantir environment.
On one hand, it’s refreshing to see that members of Congress are keeping an eye on how well programs actually work. But, I’m concerned that Rep Hunter is shooting the messenger and not the folks actually at fault. In addition to LTG Legere, Rep hunter also calls out US Army Intelligence and Security Command’s Commanding General MG Stephen G. Fogarty, who like LTG Legere, is a career Intelligence Officer with a combination of tactical and strategic intelligence assignments including numerous tours in SOF. What both of these officers have done is briefed Congress on numerous occasions about the health of the system their forces use. As DCGS-A is far from a model program, INSCOM has reportedly attempted to create a duplicate cloud in order to make things work. Additionally, LTG Legere has not been as forthcoming with Congress as Rep Hunter would like regarding program details. But ultimately, the development and fielding (not use) of the actual program of record belongs to PEO Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Systems’ PM DCGS-A. That office is part of Army Material Command and not INSCOM or any other part of the Intelligence Community. If PEO IEWS was in a line and block chart of the IC, it would be a dashed line way off to the side.
Some would blame ‘The System’ for DCGS-A’s failure. Rep Hunter chooses to blame Army Intelligence leadership. But I suggest something more radical. I say we place responsibility on a broken program where it belongs; with the Acquisition community that developed it. Whether it’s an intelligence analysis system, an aircraft, or a camouflage pattern, the offices that manage the life cycle of these programs must be held accountable not only for schedule and budget but also, how well they actually work.
