Archive for the ‘Mobility’ Category
What Do You Think of the New Wrap on the LBT Van?
Sunday, September 7th, 2014Argo Exhibits at NGUSA
Thursday, September 4th, 2014
Argo, the Canadian ATV company, exhibited at the recent NGAUS conference in Chicago, IL. It’s great to see these guys starting to focus on the military market. Their family of amphibious ATVs have applicability not just for DOMOPS missions such as flood/hurricane response that the National Guard is assigned, but given the ‘Shift to the Pacific’ their vehicles make a lot of sense for use as a tactical mobility platform in jungle and mountainous terrain given their extremely low ground pressure and amphibious capability. Pictured above is their XTI 8×8 vehicle equipped with rubber tracks for over-snow or debris field applications.
ADS C4ISR Vehicle Concept Demonstrator – Part III – C4ISR Technology
Tuesday, July 15th, 2014ADS 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.
ADS C4ISR Vehicle Concept Demonstrator – Part II – The Vehicle
Tuesday, July 15th, 2014During 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.
ADS C4ISR Vehicle Concept Demonstrator – Part I – Overview
Tuesday, July 15th, 2014During 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.
The Welbike – WWII Minibike for Paratroopers
Tuesday, July 15th, 2014Developed at Station IX of the British Special Operations Executive, over 3600 Welbikes were produced during 1942 and 43. They were used operationally by the British 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions as well as Commando units.
During World War II, Station IX was known as the Inter Services Research Bureau was located at Welwyn. Interestingly enough, everything developed by this organization gained a “wel” prefix such as the Welrod integrally suppressed pistol. They were produced by the Excelsior Motor Company, weighing in at 71 lbs, equipped with a 98cc engine.
Due to British TTPs at the time, all equipment was dropped in containers and the Welbike was no exception. Naturally, this led to some problems. It became a bare bones affair with no lights and just a rear brake. Due to the restrictions on size some simple assembly was required to get it into action. In fact, it was designed to be removed from the container (marked “motorcycle”) and be off in 11 seconds. The issue was finding the darned things on the drop zone. Wandering around on a hot drop zone could hazardous to one’s health.
The fuel tank held less than a gallon and had to be hand pressurized due to its location in relation to the carburetor. But, you could get about 90 miles at 30 mph in a single tank.
Warrior East – Klim
Thursday, July 10th, 2014Klim produces a wide variety of motor sports protective clothing (as well as few new tactical pieces). One of their most popular products is the Adventure Rally Jacket. This thing is literally packed with features including body mapped reflective panels for increased visibility in traffic, air flow vents, numerous pockets, removable collar system to accommodate Leatt collars, and integrated D3O padding with Dow Corning’s Deflection breathable armor.
The Adventure Rally Jacket was originally designed for wear on the Dakar Rally, an endurance race where riders can’t wear a pack. It integrates a shoulder strap system and one wearer I spoke with said he had carried 60 lbs in his jacket comfortably.
Argo to Exhibit at ADS Warrior East
Monday, July 7th, 2014Argo, the world leader in amphibious ATVs will be exhibiting at ADS Warrior East, July 10-11 in Virginia Beach , VA in the outdoor static display area.
On display will be their 750 HDi medevac/SAR variant equipped with a Ferno rescue basket system as well as their diesel/JP8 powered XTD general utility variant (seen above).
For more specifics on the vehicles visit www.argoatv.com or for contracting solutions www.adsinc.com.
