Armada International Feb Mar 2015

THE TRUSTED SOURCE FOR DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION SINCE 1976

Issue 1/2015 February/March


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INTERNATIONAL

Contents1/2015

www.armada.ch

INTERNATIONAL 1/2015

10ACTIVE VEHICLE PROTECTION

ACTIVE ARMOURED VEHICLE PROTECTION,OR AN EXTRA SEVEN TONNES?

I Paolo Valpolini

COMPENDIUM SUPPLEMENTGEOSPATIAL INFORMATIONI Wesley Fox

06WHAT’S UP?FRANCE, THE STING OFTHE SCORPIONI Paolo Valpolini

20COMMUNICATIONSROVING VIDEO RECEIVERSI Peter Donaldson

50NAVAL COUNTERMEASURESNAVAL SOFT-KILL TECHNOLOGIESI Luca Peruzzi

40AIR DEFENCE RADARSDIGITAL DEFENDERS FORTODAY’S AIRSPACEI Doug Richardson

30REMOTE CONTROL TURRETSLATEST ON LIGHT/MEDIUMREMOTE-CONTROL TURRETSI Paolo Valpolini

Hard-kill active protection systems have beenadopted by very few countries. This is mostly dueto legal issues and to the perception of potential

collateral damages from public opinion.While collateral damage reduction remainsamongst the main concerns of manymilitaryorganisations, those will never disappear,

especially in asymmetrical warfare situations inwhich the enemy blends into the local population

to use any civilian casualty

Contents & Index Feb/Mar 15:Armada 1/23/15 10:49 AM

Index

AAI 20, 28

ABBS 16, 18

ABDS 17, 18

Adobe 07, 11

ADS GMbH 10, 14, 16

AeroVironment 20

AGI 12

Airbus Defence & Space 05, 08, 16

Artis 16

Astrium Geo Services 06

BAE Systems 07, 08, 14, 14, 16, 34

Blue Bear Systems Research 56

Boeing 20, 28

Buck Neue Technologien 16

Bundeswehr 16, 18

Carmenta Engine 10, 12

Chemring Countermeasures 51

Damen 28

DARPA 36, 37

DCNS 54, 55

Elbit Systems 12, 17, 20, 24, 25, 26

Elta 08, 42, 51

Erdas Imagine 10

ESG Elektroniksystem 05

Esri 10, 12, 16, 18, 27, 30

Exelis 12, 37

Finmeccanica 52

FN Herstal 32

Gatling 34

General Atomics 28

General Dynamics 30, 34

Geo Data Design 08

Geoconcept 12

GeoEye 34

Google 06, 11, 13

Harris 12, 20, 25, 26

Hexagon Geosystems 07, 10, 12

Hughes Aircraft Company 47

IAI 08, 51

Infoterra GmbH 06

Intergraph 07, 12

Ionic Software 11

Israel Military Industries 36

Iveco 10

Jaguar 06, 07, 08

Jeppesen 19, 20, 26

Kongsberg 31

L-3 16, 20, 21, 22, 23

Leica Geosystems 04, 07, 10

Lockheed Martin 08, 14, 28, 41, 55

Luciad 07, 10, 18, 33, 34

MBDA 08

Mercury Federal Systems 37

Mesko S.A. 12

Microsoft 10, 18

Navionics 26

Nexter 06, 07, 08, 18, 32, 33, 34

Northrop Grumman 04, 28, 31, 41

Orbit Logic 06

Oto Melara 34, 35, 52

OverWatch Systems 12, 18

PCO 12

Polish Armaments Group 35

Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa 35

Polski Holding Obronny 13

Qinetiq 28

Rafael 11, 12, 42, 52, 56, 58

Raytheon 23, 25, 28, 31, 42, 51

Renault Trucks Defence 06, 07, 08

Rheinmetall 16, 51

Rockwell Collins 20, 22, 26

Saab 12, 33, 46, 47

Safran 52

Sagem 07, 18, 20, 28, 52

Samson 38

Samsung 17

Sarnoff Corporation 34

Sierra Nevada Company 34

SimActive 04

Teleplan Globe 10, 12

TenCate 18

Terma 54

Textron 20, 28, 08

Thales 07, 08, 12, 13, 38, 46, 48, 56

Transas 27, 28

Vectronix 35

Vricon Systems 33

Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna 13

ZM Tarnow 35

3M PELTOR 23AR MODULAR 35ARMADA SUBSCRIPTION 39AUVSI 21AVALON 35CARMENTA 15COUNTER TERROR 47DAIMLER BENZ C2DATRON 27DSEI C3ESRI C4GSA 29IAI-ELTA 43IAI-MBT C2IDEF 49IMDEX 57IMDS 53

IVECO 19KONGSBERG 45LAAD C3LEMO 13MTU 29NEXTER 17OSHKOSH 15PRO OPTICA 33PROX DYNAMICS 25RAFAEL C4RENAULT 9SAGEM 5TEXTRON 9, 37US NAVY LEAGUE 55

I INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

I INDEX TO MANUFACTURERSCompanies mentioned in this issue. Where there are multiple references to a company in an article, only the firstoccurence and subsequent photographs are listed below:


Issue 1/2015

February/March


The objective of the Tencate ABDS is to preventthe vehicle on which it is installed from beingprojected high in the air as illustrated in thisdramatic drawing. See full story in “Active ArmouredVehicle Protection, or an Extra Seven Tonnes?”on page page 10

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Volume 39, Issue No. 1,February/March 2015

Entries highlighted with Red numbers are found in Geospatial Information Compendium 2015

04 INTERNATIONAL 1/2015

Contents & Index Feb/Mar 15:Armada 1/28/15 10:07 AM

06

T he contract, which is worth €752million, includes the development,manufacture and support of the twotypes of vehicles that fall under the

EBMR category, which until now have beenknown as VBMR (Véhicule Blindé Multi-Rôle, multi-role armoured vehicle) andEBRC (Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance etde Combat, reconnaissance and combat

armoured vehicle). The ceremony saw theannouncement of the names assigned by theFrench Army to the two vehicles, respectivelythe Griffon and the Jaguar.

The Scorpion programme entails muchmore than the development of two newvehicles. The core idea is to link all platformsand combat elements of a task group toincrease its fighting capabilities, byallowing real-time information sharing, andthereby narrow the enemy detection-to-neutralisation gap.

Current French Army task group vehiclesinclude the VAB 4x4 armoured personnelcarrier, the VBCI 8x8 infantry armouredcombat vehicle armed with a 25 mm cannon,the AMX-10 RC 6x6 armoured car armedwith a 105 mm gun, the ERC Sagaie 6x6armoured car armed with a 90 mm cannon,and the Leclerc main battle tank armed with a120 mm smoothbore barrel. Only part of theplatforms have been upgraded with digitisedC2 systems, some of the vehicles havingreceived only urgent upgrades aimed atincreasing their survivability andeffectiveness in Afghanistan. The moremodern type is the VBCI, which is still beingdelivered. Among the older platforms, theVAB will be replaced by Griffon, while thetwo armoured cars as well as the VABMephisto (equipped with Hot missiles) willbe replaced by the Jaguar.

Work sharing between the three maincompaniesseesNexter leadingtheconsortiumand being responsible for development andmanufacture of the vehicles. This entailschassis and body shell, ballistic protectionsolutions, CBRN protection and interiordesign of the VBMR and EBRC as well asweapon system control electronics. RenaultTrucks Defense is in charge of developing andmanufacturing all mobility elements such aspower-plant, drive-train, suspensions,steering,brakesandwheelassemblies,aswellaselectrical power generation, test equipment

France, the Stingof the ScorpionFriday 5 December 2014 was a turning point for theFrench Army Scorpion programme: that day DefenceMinister Jean-Yves Le Drian handed over to the CEOs ofthe three companies that form the industrial Scorpionconsortium, Nexter Systems, Renault Trucks Defense andThales, the contract for the EBMR vehicles (Engin BlindéMulti-Rôles, that is multi-role armoured vehicle).

What’s Up?

Paolo Valpolini

The two new vehicles of the Scorpionprogramme, the Griffon (left) and theJaguar (right) will allow fullconnectivity within the task group.They will later be joined by a lightarmoured vehicle and the upgradedLeclerc. (GME Scorpion)


Whats Up Scorpion:Armada 1/22/15 12:40 PM Page 2

and auxiliary power units. Thales is of courseresponsible for the vetronics subsystemand for the development andmanufacturingof common vetronics solutions,communications, perimeter vision systems,self-protectionsuitesandnavigationsystems,optronics being provided by Optrolead, theSagem/Thales JV, while Sagem provides thenavigationsystem.

The network also supports broaderplatform digitisation and network-centricoperations. Design responsibilities for theGriffon are shared between the threecompanies throughanintegratedarchitectureteam. Nexter is in charge of final assembly ofthe systems and is design authority for theJaguar. Renault is responsible for logisticsupport, and will manage all spares for thethree companies, delivering them to theFrenchArmyunder an agreement basedonaguaranteedoperational availability level.

Scorpion Phase 1 (2014-2025) covers theproduction of 780Griffons and 110 Jaguars.Both types are6x6s, but chassis commonalityhoweverboils down to the tyres only, thoughboth will use the Volvo/RTD engines withdifferent power ratings. While the combatweight will be similar, 24.5 tonnes for theGriffonand25 tonnes for the Jaguar,powerontap will be 400 hp for the former and 490 hpfor the latter. Both vehicles will be equippedwith axles supplied by Texelis, which alsomanufactures the VBCI’s, and will featureindependent double wishbone suspensions.The Jaguarmight, however, be equippedwithsemi-active suspensions, allowing bothlevelling and ground clearance to becontrolled.Bothvehicleshave steeringon thefront axle, but designers are consideringcounter-steering on the third axle for theJaguar to reduce turning radius at lowspeeds.Both vehicleswill feature an aluminiumhullas this offers thebestweight/protection ratiowhen coupled to add-on armour and an

optimal armour base for add-on protectionkits tailored to different threats such asballistic,mines and roadbombs.Hull designwas alsooptimised forupgradeability tokeepthese vehicles in servicewith front line unitsduring thenext 30 years.

The vetronic architecture has beendevelopedaroundadaptability.Thisapproach,common inaviationandnaval constructions,allows the vehicle to be mission adapted,costs tobe reducedwhennewconfigurationsareneeded, and support tobe improvedwithon-board sensors providing maintenancerequirements in real time. Training costs arealso cut down thanks to the adoption ofcommon modules on the vehicles. Radios,sensors andother electronic subsystemswillbe integrated into thearchitecture asplugandplay modules. These include, inter alia, theSICSV1 (Systèmed’InformationduCombatScorpion) information system(forwhich thecontract still hasn’t beenawarded), the futurecontact software-defined radio (Thales), theAtlas artillery systemalsodevelopedunder aseparate contract.

Turning to weapons, the Griffon will befitted with remote-control stations armedwith7.62mmor12.7mmmachineguns, or a40 mm automatic grenade launcher. Thesestations are being developed by RenaultTrucks Defense leveraging experienceacquiredwith theWasp.

The Jaguar will be fitted with the NexterT40 turret which will have a differentconfiguration comparedwith theone seenat

The VAB, which has been in service forfour decades, will be replaced by the

Griffon from 2018 hence. Five versions inten different configurations will be

developed. (GME Scorpion)


Eurosatory in June 2014. The CTA 40 gunand its ammunition feedsystemare thecoreofthe turret, which has been designed as amodular system to which differentsubsystems can be added. Its optronic suitewas finalised shortly before contract award,and theMBDAMMPmissile launchers willalso be reconfigured. Thus equipped, theJaguarwill be able to engage targets at 3.5 kmwith MMPmissiles, at 1.5 km with 40 mmtelescopic casedammunition,while a remotestation armedwith a 7.62mmmachine gun,similar to that used on the Griffon, willguarantee short-range self-protection.

The Scorpion consortium willmanufacturemobility rigs of both vehicles totestautomotivesolutionswhich,at least for theGriffon, should be a very low risk affair, as itwill draw on lessons learned with thetechnological demonstrators. According tocurrentplans, twoprototypesof theJaguarandfive of the Griffon are to be manufactured.Both Jaguars will be similar, as only a singleversion iscurrentlyplanned.ThefiveGriffonsshould all be different to be representative ofthe main planned variants. Some mightactuallybesplit intosub-variants,but themainversions are: personnel carrier, commandpost, ambulance, cargo/maintenance, andforward artillery observation. The latter willbeequippedwithasuitedevelopedbyThalesto

include a day/night sight with a laser targetdesignatormountedonatelescopicmastandaGroundObserver 12Ku-bandpulse-dopplersurveillance radar with a 12 km range.Deliveriesof theGriffonareplannedfor2018,with the Jaguars following twoyears later.

A huge effort is made to integratesimulation tools in the vehicles, not only fortraining, but also formissionpreparationandrehearsal purposes during operations.Logistic support considerations have beenincorporated right from the outset as (it is anoteworthy point) the consortium will beresponsible fornearly20yearsof support andmaintenance, availability data as well as costfigures being stipulated in the contract.

Export potential has already beenidentified by Renault and Nexter for theGriffon in the formof theBritishArmyfutureutility vehicle aswell as some segments of theAustralian Army Land 400 programmes, forexample. As for the Jaguar, Nexter noticed aconsiderable interest for a vehicle with aconsiderable firepower, but with a relativelylow combat weight that would suit countrieswhere road infrastructures cannot supportheavyvehicles.Turretmodularity isalsoaplus,someMiddleEastpotential customershavingbeen quite impressed by the firepowercombinationof theCTA40cannonand long-rangemissiles.

ScorpionPhase1also includes anupgradeof 200 Leclerc main battle tanks to tend tosome obsolescent aspects and add the newvetronic architecture and the modulesrequired for Scorpion system integration.

A light armoured vehicle with a grossweight of ten tonnes should enter servicearound 2021. Known as Véhicule BlindéMulti-Rôle Léger (light multirole armouredvehicle), it would belong to the Sherpa Lightclass, which currently seems the only one inthat category, at least if France is looking at anational solution. The first tranche wouldinvolve 200vehicles, over a total requirementof 358VBMRL, the “proper” name of whichwill probablybeannouncedat selection time,slightly before 2020.

Scorpion Phase 2 should start in 2023,and see the acquisition of the remainingGriffons, Jaguars and VBMRLs to total1,722, 248 and 358 units respectivelyaccording to current plans and if no furtherArmy reorganisation takes place by then. Itwill also draw two other key elements intothe Scorpion philosophy, namely the VBCIcombat vehicle and the Félin infantryman,and thereby bring all ground combatelements under a common umbrella.While the beginning of Phase 2 is set for2023, no termination deadline has yetbeen determined.

08

The Jaguar is fitted with a NexterT40 turret armed with the CTA 40cannon, two MMP missiles and a

7.62 mm RCWS. Aimed at combatand reconnaissance roles, the

first Jaguars should be deliveredin 2020. (GME Scorpion)

What’s Up?



Whatever the mission, wherever, whenever


10

Active Vehicle Protection

Hard-kill active protection systems have so far been adopted by very few countries.This is mostly due to legal issues and to the perception of potential collateral damagesfrom public opinion. While collateral damage reduction remains amongst the mainconcerns of many military organisations, those will never disappear, especially inasymmetrical warfare situations in which the enemy blends into the local populationto use any civilian casualty as food to feed media propaganda.

Active Armoured VehicleProtection, or an ExtraSeven Tonnes?


An Iveco DV Light Multirole Vehicle equipped with anADS system. This type of technology protects lightvehicles from hollow charges threats, but has had theunexpected side-effect of boostingmorale, with soldiersbecomingmore efficient in their missions. (ADS)

Active Vehicle Protection:Armada 1/22/15 12:43 PM Page 2

11

Counterpropaganda probably is thefirst enemy of active protectionsystems, one that denies westernarmies the right to provide their

soldiers—especially those in light armouredvehicles—with considerably improvedprotection levels.

While the systems based on grenadelaunchers may raise justified concerns, atleast when used in an asymmetricalscenario, criticism of systems used on lightvehicles is less understandable. These aremostly based on energetic tiles that wouldin most cases neutralise the incomingwarhead, but are also seen as a potentialsource of major collateral damages.

When it comes to neutralising a threatevery theory is based on statistics, with 100%belonging only to the perfect world. What ismorecertain,however, is that thedetonationofa hollow charge against an armour plate willdefinitely generate a consistent dispersion ofdebris outside the vehicle as well, especiallywhen ceramic armour is involved. Ironically,the lethal range resulting from ceramicarmour may well be comparable to thatcaused by the effect of the energetic tileagainst the incoming projectile. The troublehere is that there isno fixedrule. Insomecasesan RPG that works perfectly, in other words“drilling” its hole into the vehicle armour,mightgeneratea smaller lethalbubble.Ontheother hand, and in many cases, that bubblewill considerably expand if the warhead thathits the vehicle carries a greater amount ofexplosive—and if that vehicle’s ammunitionstockdetonates, the lethal rangewill increaseconsistently, a ten-metre radius probablybeingaconservative estimate.This is far frombeing a rare event, moreover. So all beingsaid, does western public opinion prefer ahigher number of casualties (including one’sown soldiers) to a similar collateral damage,but caused by the enemy? In many cases thevery same public opinion (and opinionmakers…) will then blame their own armedforces for not providing their soldiers withadequate protection when too many blackbags begin to fly back home.

I MORALESome vehicle producers now also underlinehow active protection systems may becomegame changers thanks to the psychologicaleffect on vehicle crews, because they have adefinite feeling of being better protected.

As a result a manoeuvre becomes moreoffensive, quicker, and increases the chancesof catching the enemy by surprise. Loweringthe time needed to reach the objective alsoreduces exposure time to potential threats.This is important even for those armies thatcarry out defensive operations, as defenceanyway means that initiative has to be takenwhen needed.

From discussions with equipmentmanufacturers it emerges that if a grenade-based system might seem more dangerousthan energetic tiles-based systems, thisassumption largely results from the fact thatit displaces the threat interception spot awayfrom the vehicle by some tens of metres.However, according to available data, the“danger cloud” generated by such an active

The Trophy LV is here seen installed on a Hatehof light armoured vehicle. The top right imageprovides a detailed view of the long range and short range sensors while the view belowdetails the relatively easy integration on the vehicle. (Armada/P. Valpolini)


Paolo Valpolini Rafael’s Trophy scored over 20 successfulengagements during operation “Protective

Edge” in summer 2014. (Rafael)


systemgrenade only has a radius of betweentwo and fourmetres, which is definitely lessthan the lethal radius generated by a vehiclethat explodes if the hollow charge that hashit it generates secondary detonations.Again, it all boils down to statistics. Thesame applies to passive anti-RPG systemssuch as slat armour. Slat protections at bestensure a 60-70% protection probability,but according to active defence systemsusers—as opposed to theirmanufacturers—the latter have already scored a successrate of over 80%, and further improvementsare foreseen.

Increasing front and side protections ofa vehicle is of course important, but thenecessity to increase underbelly protectionhas risen higher to the extent that activesystems are being developed for that side ofvehicles as well. Vehicle manufacturers areclosely following improvements in that field,as they may not only reduce perforationrates, but also the height atwhich a vehicle isprojected in the air, which is often a primarycause of casualties when the floor resists theexplosion. “A five-tonne class armouredvehicle capable to reachLevel 4b is currentlya dream, but in some five years this mightbecome reality,” according to the chiefdesigner of a renown vehiclemanufacturer.

I NO QUALMSOnepublicopinionthatwilldefinitelynotputany blame on active protection systems isIsrael’s.TheRafaelTrophywasextensivelyusedduring operation Protective Edge, recording“over20successfulevents”,tousetheMinistryofDefence’s ownwords. The systemwas alreadycombat proven, but following this operationIsrael has gained evenmore confidence withthe system, and the Ministry is currentlynegotiatingacontractwithRafael to install theTrophy HV on the Namer infantry fighting

vehicleandpossiblyother types.Somereportsindicate that the Israeli infantry worked inclose proximity with Trophy-equippedmainbattle tanks. Infantry havemoreover insistedon having tank company in urban scenarios,becausetheTrophyradarhostile firedetectionsystem enables enemy positions to bedistributed to all troops via the battlemanagement system.The threat level inGazawas high, even formain battle tanks, varioussources citing not only the presence ofmanytandem warhead RPGs, but also of RussianKornet and even North Korean antitankmissiles. The re-emergenceof a symmetricalwarfare scenario cannot be excluded (who iscurrently managing the Syrian T-72s?Whatwould happen if an international “coalitionof the willing” deploys in that region?) inwhich case kinetic energy threatsmightwellcome into play. According to industrialsources involved in both active protectionand armour production, only active defencesystems can, for the time being, decouple anincrease in protection from a considerableweight growth penalty. The extra armourrequired for theprotectionof a currentmainbattle tank against 125 mm APFSDSmunition over a substantial arc is estimatedat around seven tonnes.

12



Shot though a window at MSPO, this model infantry fighting vehicle displays the position of the main components that make the new Polishactive defence system (the picture on the right shows the same 8 x 8 model seen from the top); the programme is run by the Military University ofTechnology in co-operation with industry. (Armada/P. Valpolini)

“Slat protections at bestensure a 60-70%protection probability,but according to activedefence systems users—as opposed to theirmanufacturers—the latterhave already scored asuccess rate of over 80%,and further improvementsare foreseen.”


I POLISH DEVELOPMENTAt MSPO 2014 the Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna (Military Universityof Technology) exhibited the documentation of an active protection system.The theoretical part seems to have been developed by the WojskowegoInstytutuTechnikiUzbrojenia (Military Institute ofArmamentTechnology),and the effort to turn this into a viable product is underway in a consortiumthat includes Polski Holding Obronny, PCO and Mesko S.A. Althoughindustrywasnot at all talkative on theproject, it is quite obvious that PCOwillprovide the optronic sensors while Mesko is working on effectors, PHOprobably being the system integrator. Once the system has reachedmanufacturingmaturity level, it will be transferred to defence industries.

The apparently still unnamed system is based on a dual sensor coping bothwith detection and threat neutralisation tomaximise kill probability. The dualsensorsuite featuresanultravioletoptronic sensor todetect the launchplumeofthe missile and a visual camera, while a short-range radar provides distancegatingat40,430and20metres,neededtoproperlyactivateactuators.Accordingto imagesseenat theWojskowaAkademiaTechnicznastandboththeradarandoptronic sensors should also be used for threat classification. Turning toeffectors, a twin-barrelgrenade launcher isused to firea fragmentationgrenadethat would destroy incoming antitank missiles at standoff distance andeventually destroy/destabilise tank rounds. A last ditch defence is available incasegrenadesfail toneutralisethethreator ifshorterrangeweaponsareused,suchasRPGs; thiscomesintheformofboxescontaininglinearcumulativechargesthatdestroy the threat justbefore impact.According to informationavailable, all theelementsof theproposedsolutionshavebeentestedonebyoneonfiringrangesand then integrated, the systemhaving shown an effectiveness of around 80%.Drawing andmodels showed that a system should include one optronic 360°sensormountedontheroodof the turret, fourradarantennaeonthesidesof theturret, twogrenade launchersonthesidesof theturret,and10explosiveboxes—four on each side and two on the glacis in front of the turret, though anotherlayout showed eight boxed with two per side, two in the front and two in theback.No information about apossible roadmapwas released.

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Phone: (+41 21) 695 16 00Fax: (+41 21) 695 16 02 [email protected] value of the correlation function of the RPG picked up by the Polish active

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14



I OTHER EXISTING SYSTEMSFollowing the lengthy process that led toreach the required level of safety, ADSGmbH is nowproducing its ActiveDefenseSystem and deliveries to the launchcustomer have already started. The contractwas signed in September 2013, but nofurther details have come forth. Just formemory, the system is based onpre-warnersthat constantlymonitor the area around thevehicle which, upon threat detection, feedthe data to the central processing systemthat analyses and evaluates the threat. If thelatter is deemed serious it activates theelectro-optical sensors that cover theconcerned sector, and correlating allavailable information it selects theappropriate countermeasure unit andactivates it at the required instant.Countermeasures come in the formof boxescontaining energeticmaterials that generatesufficient energy to neutralise the incomingprojectile, which usually carries a shaped-charge. The current version of the systemdoes not have any capability against kineticenergy projectiles, although the system hasshown such a capability as growth potential,providing the base armour is substantialenough to copewith residual projectiles.

While the company proposes its ADS intwo configurations, the first, known as theCAB, protects light and logistic vehiclecabins from RPGs types of weapons. Thesecond, the HAT, is intended for hulls andturrets, providing a 360° defence againstboth antitank rockets and missiles. At anyrate the solution provided to the launchcustomer is “an improved integrationconcept that cannot be disclosed yet,”according to ADS GmbH. This improvedversion seems to be aimed at medium toheavy vehicles, light vehicles allowing lessroom for improvement. One or two morecustomers have since materialised, withdeliveries expected to start in 2015. Thecompany qualified the system in severalcountries, as someof themwanted a specificprocedure to be followed. What is definedas ADS App allows interfacing the systemwith other vehicle subsystems.One examplemight be the use of the data provided by theADS sensors to increase the defensive layout

This close-up view highlights the threeelements of the Airbus D&SMuss, with the

infrared jammer on the top, the sensorheads on the turret sides, and the grenade

launcher. (Armada/P. Valpolini)

Artis is promoting its Iron Curtain in the United States and abroad following the successfultests carried out with BAE Systems. (Artis)


16



by activating soft-kill systems, such assmoke grenade launchers, or for cueingremotely controlledweapon stations.

In the United States, Artis is activelymarketing its IronCurtain,which interceptsthreats such asRPGs a few centimetres awayfromthevehicle and renders them inert.TheIron Curtain uses two independent sensors,radar and optical, high-speed computing,and tightly controlled countermunitions tominimise the false alarm rate andmaximisesystem effectiveness and reliability. Thesystem’s radarwasdevelopedbyL-3MustangTechnology inPlano,Texas.The IronCurtainunderwent a two-year system safety review,following which the US Joint ServicesWeapons Safety Review Board approved itssafety architecture. It was then integrated byBAE Systems onto a combat vehicle as asystem demonstrator for government tests,which were considered a major success.According to Artis the interest in IronCurtain is increasing worldwide and withparticular attention from the Middle EastandnorthernEurope.

I SOFT KILLFor the time being theGermanBundeswehropted for a soft-kill active protection systemto be installed on its new Pumas infantryfighting vehicles. It is known as the Muss,which stands for Multifunctional Self-Protection System, and was developed bywhat has now become Airbus Defence &Space. It uses four hybrid sensor headsknown as MSH, that include both a missileand a laser warning sensor, and that areinstalled on the four sides of the Puma’sturret with two different types of effectors.An infrared jammer, the MJH, is mountedon top of the vehicle turret and generatesfalse infrared signals so that IR-guidedantitank missiles are lured as the guidanceunit “sees” the missile in the wrong placeand generates wrong guidance signals. Thesecond actuator is a smoke screen system,theRiWA, a four-tube launcher installed oneach rear side of the Puma turret.

The MSHmissile warner operates in thesolar-blind UV spectrum to pick theultraviolet missile plume, while the laser

detector looks for emissions from laserguidance systems.Whenapotential threat isdetected the relevantdata areprovided to thecentral electronicunit (MCE)whichdoes thefinal processing before distributing theinformation to the relevant subsystem. Thiscan go to the MJH electronic box, the MJE,or to theRiWAelectronicbox, theMSE,or toboth. IR impulses are generated or multi-spectrum smoke grenades launched. TheseweredevelopedbyBuckNeueTechnologien,now integrated into Rheinmetall WaffeMunition, and screen the vehicle fromvisualand thermal imaging acquisition systemsused by most missiles. Of course a soft-killapproach does notwork against non-guidedweapons such asRPGs.

I MINE PROTECTIONSometimes solutions combine twodifferentsystems. This seems to be the case for twosystems aiming at reducing as much aspossible the effect of underbelly explosions,the VGAM (Vehicle Global AccelerationMitigation) developed byAdvancedBlast&Ballistic Systems (ABBS) in Britain and theZero Shock SystemdevelopedbyDrehtainerof Germany. The former aims at avoidingthe vehicle from lifting off the ground, the

The ADS company (74% owned by Rheinmetall, the remaining 26% being in the hands ofFriedrich-Ulf Deisenroth) was one of the first to design a defensive hard- kill system in Europe,here installed on anMAN truck cabin. (ADS)


latter at decoupling passengers from flooracceleration and deformation.

As it happened the two companiesmet atthe last Eurosatory, and ensuing discussionslead to a co-operation agreement inAugust2014 as the two systems are fullycomplementary. TheZero Schock acts in theinitial timeframe of the accident, say lessthan half millisecond to 5-10 milliseconds,while theVGAMstarts to be effectivewhenthe vehicle eventually tends to “take off ”—around 10milliseconds into the accident.

As described in our Compendiumpublished in issue 2/2013, the Drehtainersystem sees the inner floor decoupled fromthearmoured floor thanks tocables thathangfrom the roof, the distance between the twofloors being around 200 mm. When anexplosion isdetectedpinpullersdecouple thecables from the roof letting the floor “float”for a sufficient amount of time to reduceacceleration to20%of thoseacceptedbyNatoStanags, according to the company. Theproblemis that at thatpoint thevehiclemightbe launched into the air by the blast—whenthe ABBS system comes into action, theVGAM being based on novel fast-acting,powerful rocket motors that apply a

This graph shows the synergistic effect of the two systems, the Zero Schock and the AMPS,in limiting the effects of an underbelly explosion. (ABBS)

18



downforce on the vehicle to negate upwardacceleration.These rocketmotorsare sosmalland powerful that they deliver very highimpulse levels to the vehicle within the 20-30ms that most mine blasts take to producetheir lifting forces. According to ABBS asingleVGAMmotorcanproducea50,000kgthrust forabout20-30milliseconds; four suchrockets might thus add 200 tonnes to a lightarmoured vehicle for the time needed tocounteract the mine blast forces. To avoidfloordeformationABBSdevelopedtheVAFS,for Vehicle Armoured Floor Stabilisation,which however required internal columnsto push the floor down, something notacceptable in large armoured personnelcarriers. By coupling the two systems, bothcompanies should overcome the weak sideof their products.

While the Drehtainer Zero Shock isalready in servicewith the SwissArmy, itwillsoonenter servicewithGermanBundeswehr,several European vehicle companies havingtested it. The ABBS AMPS is currentlyundergoing full system testing, a blast testbeing scheduled forDecember2014, andwillbe available for trial on customer vehiclesearly in2015.As for thecombinedsystem,co-operation is still in its infancy, but a full-scaledemonstration on a vehicle might take placeduring the first half of 2015.TenCateAdvancedArmour has finished

the validation of its ABDS active blastcountermeasure system, developed inconjunction with ABDS A/S of Denmarkwhich became part of TenCate in late 2011(see front cover).Thevalidationprocess representedPhase1

of the multi-year evaluation programmethat the company is carrying out withthe US Army Research, Development, andEngineering Command (RDECOM),following the signature of a CooperativeResearch andDevelopmentAgreement. Thecompany is not keen on discussing theworkingmechanism,but it isunderstood thatmobile masses are the core element of thedevice togetherwith the triggerandactivationsystem that allows it to react to the blast.Following the tests conducted during Phase1, further tests will be conducted in late 2014and early 2015 within Phase 2 of the co-operationprogrammewithRDECOM.Thesewillbeconducted“ona lightweightplatforminUS inventory”; no furtherdetails provided.In Europe both the German and Dutch

governments have started a co-operationscheme with TenCate, which is also talkingtoothernationswilling to test itsABDS.

Looked at vertically these two side-by-side columns of three stills from a filmed test show theeffect of the Tencate ABDS that prevents the vehicle from being tossed up in the air as seen onthe right-hand column. While the left M-113 will not see another day, its crew, on the otherhand, now stands more than a chance. (TenCate)


20

Endowed with such new features,particularly the possibility ofsupplying geospatial refences (see ourGeospatial InformationCompendium

accompanying this issue) current Roversenable the likes of forward air controllers todirect ordnance onto targets more quicklyand efficiently than ever before. Software-definedradio technologyhasenabledsupportformanymorewaveforms,while encryptionhas made them more secure. Rover systemsare now bringing the benefits of eyes in the

skyanddirect, real-timecommunicationwiththem to a much wider constituency ofoperators at the tactical edge, as theevolutionofnetworking technology increasinglymeansthat streamingvideoneedno longer relyonlyonpoint-to-point links.

L-3 Communications has been at theheart of the Rover story from the start andoffers an extended family for diverseapplications, but competing products are onoffer from other military communicationsgiants and from key players in the dronebusiness – AAI Textron, AeroVironment,Elbit Systems, Harris, Rockwell Collins andSagem, for example.

L-3’s Rover 5 is an all-in-one handheldtransceiverwithan integrateddisplay screen,while the Rover 6 consists of the transceiverand separate antenna and a rugged laptop asthe control and display unit, a form factorsimilar to theearlierRover3and4, thousandsof which are still in the field. Both are basedonsoftware-defined radio technology.

Rover 5, for example, transmits time-sensitive targeting data and displays sensorfeeds from many airborne platforms usingwavebands including Ku, C, L and S, plusUHF. It is also backward compatible withearlier Rovers and forward compatible withnewer devices through software uploads.

Communications

The StrikeHawk is an analogue and digital video receiver for useby FAC/TACP/FAOs in targetingmissions and to enableimmediate battle damage assessment. Options cover thedownlink bands dominating in-theatre operations and can betuned to the frequencies in use. (Rockwell Collins)

Peter Donaldson

Roving VideoReceiversOriginally, Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver (Rover)systems did a very simple thing; they enabled soldiers to viewlive video fromaircraft via a line-of-sight link. Built and fieldedvery swiftly in 2002 by the US Air Force’s Big Safari organisationfor Afghan operations, the ancestral Rover has since spawned alarge family and added features such as two-way voice, dataand graphical communication, support formany data linkstandards and precise geospatial references to the video.

Roving VideoReceivers


Rover Systems:Armada 1/23/15 6:38 PM Page 2

21

Certified to Nato Stanag 7085, which coversinteroperabledata links for imaging systems,Rover 5 supports digital and analoguewaveforms, video encoding and decodingand metadata standards including the KeyLength Value (KLV) system adopted by theMotion Imagery Standards Board, says L-3.It is also compatiblewith theCommonDataLink (CDL) standard.

One of the latest innovative form factorsis the AN/PRC-148 Rover FMV-MM. Thisfull-motion videomissionmodule emergedfrom co-operation between L-3 and ThalesCommunications to add capabilities to theMBITR family beloved of American and

Receiving and transmitting in the Ku, C, L, S and UHF bands, the Rover 5 Handheld handles digitaland analog waveforms, is Stanag 7085-certified and features an integral video display and anintuitive GUI for pre-mission configuration, waveform selection and frequency band control. (L-3)

Rover 6 receives sensor data frommultiple platforms, adding transmission and Type 1 encryptioncapabilities to enable greater levels of collaboration. Operating in the Ku, C, L, S and UHF bands,it has two simultaneous reception channels that can be in the same or different bands. (L-3)



allied special forces. As an alternative tovideo, the module can also accommodateother special purpose waveforms. The newmodule is among the technologies selectedfor the 2015 Spiral J of the perennial USArmy Expeditionary Warrior Experiment(AEWE), according to an objectivesdocument released by Fort Benning inOctober. It is also intended to be aneconomical approach to adding capability tomore than200,000 fielded radios.With the module fitted, the radio retains

its narrowbandType 1 capabilities includingSincgars, blue force tracking and integratedwaveform satcom and adds FMV capabilityequivalent to theL-3TacticalRover, acceptingL-, S-, C- and Ku-band analogue and digitalfeeds while allowing the operator to use theoriginal capabilities at the same time.Offering multiple display options

throughmany interfaces, the FMVmissionmodule connects to most soldier systems,

existing display devices including head-worn devices, computers and powersources, say the companies. Users can addthemodule in the field.TacticalRover (e)L-3describes as the first

pocket-sized, encrypted, FMV and datareceiver. It works with fielded ISR links,including drone, and fighter aircraft videotransmitters and displays aircraft positionand sensor point of interest simultaneouslywith the video. Its speed dial preset recallfeature enables the soldier to switchbetweenvideo feeds quickly. L-3 supplies TacticalRover (e)with its SoldierSight software suitethat allows troops to view and record theaircraft position and sensor point of interestonFalconViewmovingmap software.

I VIDEO WITH BROADBAND IPA more capable handheld device is theTacticalNetworkRover designed to providea multi-megabit, bi-directional data link ina small, light, power-frugal package thatcombines video reception with broadbandIP networking. Using existing Rovercommunications infrastructure, it providesnetwork access that enables digital close airsupport, ground force position sharing, chatand large file transfer capabilities.Developed by L-3 in co-operation with

Silvus Technologies, the Mesh RoverHandheld, as the name suggests, providesmesh networking capabilities. In a meshnetwork, each node connects to a minimumoftwoothersandrelaysdata for thenetworkso

22

The Rover Full-Motion Video Mission Module (FMV-MM) from L-3 Communications andThales Defense & Security adds secure digital and analog multi-band ISR video to the ThalesAN/PRC-148 JEM radio for the dismounted soldier, providing simultaneous FMV andtransmit/receivecapability. (L-3)

Communications



that, effectively, everything can connect toeverythingelse inadecentralisedsystemwithno single point of failure, a topologyparticularlyuseful indenseurban, indoorandevennavalboardingoperations.

With mobile ad hoc networkingcapabilities, the Mesh Rover Handheld isdesigned to link aerial and tactical edgemesh networks,merging on-demand voice,data and video communications and toprovide extremely high bandwidth for ISRwhile reducing need to carry multiplecommunications devices.

The Mesh Rover’s two antennae supportmultiple input multiple outputcommunications, which use multiplexingtechniques to take advantage of multipathreflections thatpreviouslycausedinterference.The advantages gained include greatercapacity, spectral efficiencyandreliability.

L-3’s Soldier ISR Receiver is an IP-based,multi-band, secure, digital and analogreceiver designed for ease of integration withvery low SWaP. It features multiple interfacesto connect to virtually any soldier system,display, computer and power source saysthe company. (L-3)


I CODING FOR RELIABILITYThe Mesh Rover Handheld exploits atechnique known as Coded OrthogonalFrequencyDivisionMultiplexing (COFDM),which is ideal for penetrating buildingsbecause is passes through and aroundstructures, evendeep intoshiphulls.Aswell asa network for large groups of dismountedtroops, itprovides relaycapabilitiesalongwithvideoandC2communications for robots.Still with low SWaP handheld video

receivers, the Tactical Rover-Pwas formerlyknown as the Soldier ISR Receiver (SIR)and is a pure video device designed toprovide secure digital and analoguemultiband ISR video directly to thedismounted soldier. The IP-based radio canconnect to “virtually any” warfightersystem, existing display device, computeror power source, says L-3.Another systemdesigned toexploit Silvus’

mesh network capabilities, particularly indense urban environments, is the GatewayRover. Described as a “plug and fight” bolt-on module for the Rover 6, it enablescommanders and tactical edge users toestablish a multi-node, high bandwidthdissemination network for voice, data andvideo. The Gateway Rover can also connectto various mobile ad hoc networks, theSoldier Radio Waveform (SRW), 802.11wireless networks and others. With fourMIMOantennae, it builds on the capabilities

of andworkswith thehand-held andvehicle-mountedMeshRoverpackages.Easing the SWaP constraints somewhat

allows more functions into the box. The C2Rover, for example, is a rack-mounted dual-link transceiver designed for air, ground andmaritime use. Besides full motion video, ithandles otherdata for situational awareness,targeting, battle damage assessment,surveillance, relay, convoy overwatch andother situations that call for eyes on target.C2Rover is interoperablewith theCommonDataLink (CDL), almost all drones, targetingpods and other wave forms including theRavendigital data link.

I REDUNDANT, RESILIENT, ROBUSTUsing one or two frequency bands, thesystem is designed to send common data tomultiple platforms. It can also receive datausingoneor twobands fromthe samesource,a frequency diversity technique that helps toovercome a range of nuisances includinginterference, interruptions to the lineof sight,multipath interferenceandplatformshading.The result, says the company, is a redundant,resilient and robust link.C2 Rover’s frequency diversity is twofold;

first, it can switch automatically from onereceiver to theother if thesecondispickingupthestrongersignal forreliability; second, it cancombine signals from the two receivers usingMIMOtechniques to improve linkrange.

Acting as a relay, C2 Rover can pass databetween ground, airborne and maritimeplatforms. It can also handle multiple levelsof security, automatically segregating datawith different levels of classification. Allallowable relay configurations can also be

24

Communications


TheMesh Rover Handheld is a small radio that supports dense urban and in-building operations, offering high bandwidthwhile reducing the needfor the soldier to carrymultiple communications devices and increasing their ability to conduct diverse tactical operations. (L-3)


disabledby theuser for a furtherdegreeof security control. The system is alsoNetwork Tactical (Net-T) capable, meaning that it supports directcommunicationbetweenRover 5 terminals.

I ELBIT’S VIDI, MIDI AND MIPRIn Israel Elbit Systems’ Land and C4I division has addressed the challenge ofdeliveringtacticalvideooverdiversenarrowbandandbroadbandnetworkswithitsViDiandmViDiproducts, respectivelyvehicle-mountedandmanpackvideoand telemetry streamers. Using H.264 compression, says the company, ViDiovercomes the significant technical challenges facing thedeliveryof streamingvideo throughbothbroadbandIPnetworksandnarrowbandcombatnet radiosystems.ViDitechnologysupportshalf-andfull-duplexvideowithmetadataandvoiceat thesametime. It cangenerate singleordualH.264streamsfromPALorNTSCvideoinputs,eachconfigurable fordatarates from9.6kbpsto2Mbps,withintegral recordingasanoption.

ViDialsopositioncoordinates fromits internalGPSsensoranddata fromthecamera’s3Dmagneticorientationlineofsightsensor, says thecompany,enablingprojection of the video footprint onto a digital map, a boon to a soldier whoneeds to relate the pictures on the screen to the terrain in front. BothViDi andmViDiarepartofElbit’sTacticalMultimediaRouting (TMR)solution.

Elbit’s Military IP Radio (MIPR) is designed for even higher data rates,offering a claimed 13.3 Mbps for transmission of real-time high-resolutionvideo, images, data andvoice traffic, overpoint-to-point, point-to-multipointandmobile adhocnetworks.

Harris offers a Rover L-band receive capability as an option for its itsAN/PRC-117G(V)1C single channel multi-band manpack radio and adedicated handheld package in the form of its RF-7800T-HH SituationalAwarenessVideoReceiver (SAVR).

Covering the analogue L-, S- and C-bands plus the digital Rover-455 C-band and the DDL L-band link for small drones, the 1.27 kg (2.8 lb) SAVRreceives more than 95% of fielded downlinks from aircraft with securedatalinks (these including theRaven,ShadowandPredatordronesaswell as the

An F/A-18F Super Hornet the “Jolly Rogers”of Strike Fighter Squadron 103 breaks

away from his wingman during a close airsupport mission supporting coalition forcesover Afghanistan. The air-to-ground videolink enables fighter pilots and JTACs to see

the same picture. (US Navy)


26

Communications


C-130gunship). It also supportsType IIIAES128 and 256 decryption, says the company.With an embedded GPS receiver it can alsoperform relative position reporting,providing theuserwith the rangeandbearingto the aircraft providing the feed. SAVRfeatures 99 preset channels and can scanrapidly across all bands.Harris emphasises that because it

complies with the JTRS-derived SoftwareCommunications Architecture (SCA 2.2),the SAVR can keep upwith evolving digitaldata link standards through software-onlyupgrades.

I SAVR DISPLAY AND NETWORKINGWhile the set has a small integral screen, itcan also feed its video to a variety of displaydevices including head/helmet mountedeyepieces, laptops andHarris’ ownRF-3590-RT tablet. It can also inject streaming videointo tacticalmobile adhocnetworks throughintegration with other Harris radiosincluding theAN/PRC-117G, theAN/PRC-152Aand theRF-7800M.In the developing battle between

commercialdevicesandfully-ruggedmilitaryhardware,Harris has chosen the latter for theAndroid-based RF-3590. Far more than avideo display, this tablet computer can be

connected to all Falcon II and III radios andalso features multiple embedded radiosincluding 802.11n wifi, Bluetooth 4.0,commercial GPS and cellular systems.Automatically connecting users to widebandnetworks, it enables them to access and sharephotographs and other files, plot positions offriendly units, run tactical applications andcontrol tactical radios remotely, for example.This connectivity and a set of tailoredapplications effectively turns the tabletcomputer intoamissionmanagement suite.

I RIVAL STRIKEHAWKWhen Rockwell Collins developed itsStrikeHawkDigital videodownlinkreceiver, akey component of its FireStorm integratedtargeting system, it retained the capabilitiesof the analogue original along with itscompact body-worn format and helmetmounted display and added L-3’s Rover-compatible digital technology along with araftofnewfunctions for special forces, tacticalair control parties, forward air controllers,forwardobservationofficers and fire support

teams. The occluded eyepiece display isdesigned toeliminate the riskof light fromanopen video screen giving the operator’spositionaway.Aswell as the eyepiece and theradio, which runs on standard PRC-148/152batteries, there is a hand controller and asmallerbody-wornantenna.The StrikeHawk supports analogue

waveforms in theL-, S- andC-bandsplus the455 kbps TACT 455k in the C-band, the 466kbps TACT 466k in the L-, S- and C-bandsplus the TACT 1.6, 3.2 and 6.4 waveforms(the numbers indicating the data rate inMbps) and the 0.05 to 5.0 Mbps VortexNativeWaveform (VNW) in all three bands.(L-3’s Vortex is a “next-generation” rack-mounted sensor-to-shooter transceiver forair, ground and maritime use offeringsimultaneous dual-band transmission thatuses spatial and frequency redundancy tomake linksmore reliable.)Optional appliquémodules allow the StrikeHawk to workwithbespokeplatformdownlinks.AAI Textron emphasises the flexibility

and configurability of its One System

Elbit’s ViDi and mViDi are a pair of vehicle-mounted and soldier-carried military H.264 video& telemetry streamer for tactical narrowband and broadband networks. ViDi overcomesthe challenges of delivering streaming video by serial communication through narrowbandCombat Net Radio. (Elbit)


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Remote Video Terminal (OSRVT). Thesoftware is designed to runon small, ruggedcomputers and can be installed on anyWindowsplatform,while the hardware, saysthe company, can be configured formanpack, mounted, stationary, airborneandmaritime applications.

I OSRVT LINK SUPPORTThe company also goes into specifics formany of the link and vehicle combinationsthat OSRVT supports. In the L-band, theyinclude those of theAeroVironment RQ-11Raven, Wasp and Puma small drones andHoneywell’s T-Hawk micro air vehicle. Itcan also handle the S-band analogue linkused for the Boeing Insitu Scan Eagle andthe C-band analogue links of the AAITextron Shadow, Northrop Grumman’sMQ-5BHunter, General Atomics’ Predatorand Grey Eagle (video only), the AAIAerosonde 4.7 and Northrop Grumman’sLitening targeting pod (video only). C-banddigital links include that of the GeneralAtomics Warrior A and Predator and theNG Litening Pod (video only). To these italso adds Ku-band links aboard the BellKiowa Warrior L2MUM and BoeingApache VUIT for manned/unmannedteaming, the Lockheed Martin Persistent

Thread Detection System (PTDS)surveillance aerostat, the Tactical CommonData Link (TCDL) systems aboard theGrayEagle, Shadow andHunter, plus theQinetiqMaars armed ground robot, the LockheedMartin Sniper pod and NorthropGrumman’s Fire Scout vertilift drone.OSRVT can also handle data decoding,

giving theoperator access tomore geospatialintelligence, annotated maps that can beshown alongside a live video window andkeyboard-free operation. With FalconViewmaps, the system can export target data anddisplay JPEG images.Sagem offers a comparable system in the

form of its RVT Tactical Remote VideoTerminal, which teams a PanasonicToughBook CF-19 handheld PC with a C-bandreceiver covering4.4 to4.8GHzor5.2 to5.8 GHz, an S-band receiver covering 2.2 to2.4 GHz plus a 345 to 354.8 MHz UHFreceiver and an embedded GPS. The RVTdisplays real time video andmetadata, alongwith a map that shows the observation areaand target geolocation, the air vehicle and theterminal and thedistancebetween them.The RVT is a manpack system weighing

11 kgwith 1.3 kg of batteries with energy formore than fourhoursof operation- It offers arange exceeding20kmwithomnidirectional

antennae and includes a removable vehicleintegrationkit.

I SMALLER STILLFellow dronemanufacturer AeroVironmenthas taken a different approachwith its PocketDigitalDataLink,a tiny100-gramtransceiverdesigned, as the company describes it, to turnanyUSB-equippeddisplaydeviceintoaremotevideo terminal, the company illustratingToughbook, smartphone and tablet optionsrunningWindows,Androidor iOSapps.ThePocketDDL covers theC-1 portion of theC-band and the M1 to M4 divisions of the M-band, which stretches from 60 to 100 GHz,supports the SUAS DDL waveform andanalogue NTSC video, enabling it to displayimagery fromthePumaAE,RavenandWaspAEdronesplusaerostatsandraidsurveillancetowers. Itwill operate for2.8hoursona2,000mAhbattery, says the company.While technologies suchas4GLTE,which

the US Army implemented in a forwardoperating base in the recent NetworkIntegration Evaluation 14.2, and the yet-to-be-defined 5G are making it much easier todistribute video through networks, therequirement for direct sensor-to-shooterlinks is likely to remain, although thetechnologiesbehind themare converging.

28

The Rover- and Nato-compatibleSagem Remote Video Terminal (RVT)

combines C, S and UHF bandreceivers with a Panasonic ToughBook

CF-19 rugged convertible laptop,embedded GPS, digital mapping and

a range of more than 20 km withomnidirectional antennae. (Sagem)

Communications



30

Remote Control Turrets

Latest on Light/MediumRemote-control TurretsRemotely controlled weapon stations armed with light and medium machine gunsare becoming more and more popular, as they react to adverse fire withoutexposing the machine gunner to enemy threat. Compared to pintle-mounted machineguns most now also offer the great advantage of stabilisation, and thereforean accurate fire-on-the-move ability.

Konsberg’s proposal for animproved version of theM151 for the Americanmarket includes new sensorsand Javelin missiles.(Armada/P. Valpolini)


Remote Control Turrets:Armada 1/22/15 1:00 PM Page 2

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Paolo Valpolini

Amore recent development seesremote-control turrets increasinglybeing used in a turret-on-turretconfiguration, providing a 360°

small-calibre reaction capability to mainbattle tanks and thereby endowing the latterwith proportional reaction means. As innaval or airborne applications, stabilisationis a sine qua non, closely followed by easeof installation.This article is an update to our

Compendium published in issue 6/2013,dedicated to land applications of light toheavy turrets, and covers land and navalsystems up to calibres of 20 mm unveiled,updated, or ordered since.With over 3,200 M151s installed on US

Army Strykers (the first one delivered in2001 and over 11,000 ordered as part of theCrows contract) Kongsberg is the majorprovider of remotely controlled weaponstations on the US market. The turret hasbecome a benchmark in the light category,although its medium-calibre turret is nowgainingmomentum.Looking at the possiblereplacement of the earlier M151s installedon the Stryker (which is also the mainarmament of numerous versions of that 8x8)Kongsberg exhibited the demonstrator of anew version at AUSA 2014. This borrowsnumerous elements from the Protector

Nordic, which currently is the mostadvancedversion.Amongst those elements isthe starboard-mountedKPSVIS 95 viewingsystem which itself includes three cameras,the central onewith a considerablywide 95°fieldof view.A KongsbergBatram1550 laserrangefinder is mounted portside while thethermal imager sits under the weapon. Theproposed imager in this instance is a Flir4000 the detection, reconnaissance andidentificationperformances ofwhichmatchthose of the Javelin antitank missile’smounted on the right of the automaticweapon. Ammunition is obviously carriedon the right. The Kongsberg demonstratoralso features anupgraded fire control systemaswell as amuch slimmerdisplay,which alsohas amuchhigher resolution.KongsbergUSis closely monitoring an equipment changeproposal from theArmy.Although America remains the main

single customer for Kongsberg ProtechSystems, the Protector has been sold to 16othernations.Thecompanyisnowproposingits products to many other nations whilecontinuouslyupgrading itsoffer.Newvariantssuch as the Protector Nordic and ProtectorDualRWShavebeenaddedtotheproduct linein the last twoyears.TheNordiccanaddaco-axial machine gun and includes a dual-usercapability. The naval variant, the SeaProtector, is also gaining attention: deliveriesto the US Navy were completed earlier in2014 and underway to the Norwegian Navy.

Thisnavalversionhasenhancedstabilisation,integration into existing command andcontrol operator consoles and naval rules ofengagement securitymeans.Tomeet somecustomers’ requirement for

a multiple operator capability Kongsbergdeveloped an advanced fire control solutionthat enables more than one operator to takecontrol of a single weapon station within acontrolled set of rules of engagement (thissolution is also part of the Norwegian CV90upgrade). TheProtector is also promoted forstatic installation, and the aforementionedsolution can be implemented to allowmultipleProtectors tobeoperatedbymultipleoperators. This multi-user fire controlsolution, developed in accordance with theGeneric Vehicle Architecture standard, canbepartof anupgrade toanexisting systemorincluded innewsystemdeliveries.While the current Protector provides

capacity for additional effectors/weapons aswell as an excellent sector coverage close toone’s own vehicle due to its 20° depressionangle, the overall height of the systemcoupledwith thatof thevehicleplatformmaycreate transportation challenges or, in somecases, partially mask vehicle crew vision. Anew variant is thus under development tominimise or cure those shortcomings.Kongsberg is also active in integrating

new effectors and new sensors. New less-than-lethal effectors are being added,Kongsberg having integrated and delivered

The Norwegian Navy is receiving its first SeaProtector, the naval version of Konsberg remote

weapon stations. (Kongsberg)



two types of less-than-lethal effectors tomultiple customers in recent years, usinglaser dazzlers and bright lights. Forengagement efficiency improvement, a40mmair-burst automatic grenade launcherhas been added to the Protector giving allmanner of firing methods offered by suchweapons, including string-of-pearls and airburst modes. Combined with the high-performance first-round hit probability thefour-axis Protector gives a significantperformance advantage against entrenchedsoldiers and light vehicles for example.A fully integrated Javelinmissile launcher

has been developed and demonstrated, andis currentlybeingdelivered to someProtectorcustomers. The missile provides for rapidengagement of targets at both close-in anddistant ranges. A similar integrationinvolving other types of missiles is beingconsidered to meet customer and marketneeds. The Protector sensor suite can easilybe changed to match the requirements ofother missiles. The Nordic’s VIS95 daycamera for example provides vehicleidentification range of more than threekilometres. Systemswith high-performancethermal sensors with similar identificationcharacteristicshave alsobeen integratedwithcorresponding laser range finders andvisibleand IRpointers, anddelivered.

I BELGIUMLeveraging experience gained with its tworemotely controlledweapon stations for landvehicles—thedeFNderLightandthedeFNderMedium—FNHerstalofBelgiumintroducedanewturretatEuronaval2014.Appropriatelyknown as the Sea deFNder, it is dedicated tonaval applications, but heavily based on theland version and retains the universal cradle

thataccommodatesweaponsrangingfromthe5.56mmFNMinimi, to the 12.7mmM2HB-QCB or M3R, not to mention 40 mmautomatic grenade launchers. The SeadeFNder obviously is optimised to operate insaltywater environmentswith adhoc surfacetreatments, seals and specific two-axisgyroscopes dedicated to naval applications.Theturrethasalreadybeensubmittedtonavalenvironmentalqualificationtests.Armedwiththe M2HB-QCB the station has a combatweightof less than205kgwith the200rounds

of ammunition. The Sea deFNder does notprotrude under the deck, though differentheightsareavailabledependingonthedesiredarc of fire. Elevation is –40°/+70°, maximumelevation speed 60°/s, while traverse speedreaches90°/s.Thesightmodule includesadayCCDcamera,while thethermalchannelcanbefitted with a cooled or an uncooled imager.The Sea deFNder has already found a launchcustomer (as undisclosed as the value of thecontract),which this brings the grand total ofdeFNdersonorder toover1,300units.

I FRANCENexter’sARX20wasdesigned tomeet aneedforheavy stoppingpower, as indeed the effectof a couple of 20 mm rounds is far moredevastating on a car than a whole burst of12.7mm.ThiswasdemonstratedatCanjuerscamp in 2011 with two ARXs, one armedwith an M621 chambered for Nato 20x102mm and installed on an Aravis, the otherwith a 20x139 mm round M693 on a VAB.Because budget prevented France fromacquiring the ARX20 and deploying it inAfghanistan, some VABs are equipped withthe T20/13 one-man turret armed with theM693. The first commercial success for theARX20however came from theMiddle Eastas part of an order for a number of Aravis.

32

For its current Middle East customer Nexter has introduced a number ofmodifications to the ARX20 weapon station, among which a deeper ammo containerwith a higher number of rounds. (Nexter)


FN Herstal took its deFNder concept from land tosea with the Sea deFNder unveiled at Euronaval. Itcan be armed with up to 12.7 mmmachine guns andhas already (so far undisclosed) customer. (FNH)



Although Nexter never confirmed this, it isan open secret that the customer is SaudiArabia. The contract includes 50 weaponstations, which have been fitted with anumber of improvements over the standardARX20. First of all the number of roundsavailable to the20mmand7.62mmweaponshas been increased, respectively from 100 to200 and from 200 to 300. Also required bythis customer is a system to recover spentcase brass and links, and an enhancedthermal imager tomatch themain weapon’srange, the thermal camerabeingprovidedbyExavision of France. Those improvements

have increased the weight of the weaponstation, which is now around 330 kg overdeck, to which 20 kilos worth of commandconsole inside the vehicle have to be added.In lateOctober2014Gabonplacedacontractfor 12Aravis as anational contribution to theUnitedNationsMultidimensional IntegratedStabilizationMission in the Central AfricanRepublic (MINUSCA).The turretswill haveexactly the same configuration as thosementioned above except for the UN whitelivery.TheARX20has also been installedonthe company’s Titus 6x6, with firing trialsconducted inNovember 2014.

Gabon also ordered the Narwahl 20Astation from Nexter. This naval remote-control station carries the same M621cannon, and will be installed on the OPV50offshorepatrol vessel ordered in lateOctober2014 fromthePiriou shipyards.The58metreboatwill be delivered inmid-2016.The first foreign customer for the

NarwahlwasLebanon, although thenumberof systems ordered and the ship on whichtheywere installed remainedundisclosed.The sameweapon station, but inNarwahl

20B configuration armed with a 20 M 693cannon, is being adopted by the FrenchMarine Nationale. Compared to the “A”version the “B” is heavier (470 versus 390kg)due to the heavierweapon and ammunition.The first Narwahl 20B were installed onboard the Normandie (the second FrenchFREMMfrigate) andwill be installed on thesubsequent ship.The first of class,Aquitaine,is due to receive twoNarwahls in2017duringher first refit. The Narwahl 20B will ensure

The Narwahl, which can be armedwith two different types of 20 mm cannon,will be operated by France, Gabon andLebanon. (Nexter)

protection against fast sailing boats, the twoturrets being installedport and starboardontopof thehelicopterhangar.RecentlyFrancetook the decision to upgrade its Mistralclass BPC (Bâtiment de projection et decommandement, projection and commandship); theMistral,TonnerreandDixmudewillsee their current manually driven gun postsreplaced by the remotely controlled weaponstations, which will take the same positions,starboard astern and port bow. Over 30Narwahls havebeenordered fromNexter bynational and international customers.

I ITALYTurning to the Oto Melara Hitrole Lightorders are soon expected from the nationalcustomer, theEsercito. Following thedeliveryof the first 81 systems, which have beeninstalled on the Iveco DV Lince 4x4 lightarmouredvehicle, the ItalianArmyexercisedthe option for a further 20 units in the sameconfiguration. An order for 80 more iscurrently being discussed and should befinalised soon. The Italian Army is alsoconsidering installing theHitroleLighton theIvecoOrso 4x4 that are entering servicewithcombat engineers as part of the new RouteClearing Package (the decision to installthem on Freccia mortar carriers has alreadybeen taken). The Hitrole Light will beinstalledon theNewCentauro ina turret-on-turret configuration. A naval version of theHitroleLighthasalsobeendeveloped. In thatrole the heavierHitroleNhas obtained somesuccess, thanks to its reload-under-bridgeconfiguration (for land applications such afeature is not considered as key issue,

although may change if a remote-controlcarrying the main armament is required toarm an armoured personnel carrier. A fewremotely operatedHitroles have been sold tothe ItalianArmyand installedonPuma6x6s).

AtEuronaval2014OtoMelaraannouncedthe signature of a Memorandum of

Understanding with Siham Al KhaleejTechnology of the United Arab Emirates forthe development, marketing and co-production of a new version, the Hitrole20mm armed with the more powerful andlonger rangeGeneralDynamicsM197 three-barrel Gatling gun (also used by the ItalianArmy Aviation AW129 Mangusta combathelicopter). The aim of Oto Melara is toextend range and lethal effect on the target tobetter cope with increased enemy firepower,keeping the standard Hitrole for police andcoast guardduties.The shift from12.7mmto20 mm ensures a two-kilometre operationalrange, anon-targetpayloaddelivery increasedby nearly three in a two-second burst, and atonekilometre about twice thekinetic energy.Under deck space often being a critical issueOtoMelara has designed a non-penetratingweapon station with a spacing elementto adequately link the rear-mountedammunition magazine containing 75020x102 mm rounds and the weapon itself.This spacing element can also house a 24Vpower supply, but also serves as a raisingspacer to increasedepressionangleelevationto30° (maximumelevation is 75°).This versionweighs 600 kg without ammunition and

34

Unveiled at Eurosatory, the Gatling gun equipped naval Hitrole 20 is developed by Oto Melarain teamwith Siham Al Khaleej Technology of the United Arab Emirates. (Oto Melara)



The Hitrole Light mounted on an Italian Army Lince; new ordersshould be finalised soon. (OtoMelara)


power unit, these adding respectively 250 kg and 70 kg. The architectureallows however a different configuration to be adopted, with theammunitionmagazineplacedunder thedeck.Theammunitionmagazine,interestingly, isboosted, thus thepulling forceof thegunremainsconstantwhatever the number of remaining rounds might be. Fully stabilised,maximumaccelerationboth inazimuthandelevation is250°/s,maximumelevation speed is 110°/s while maximum training speed over the ±155°training arc is 75°/s. The optronic suite is customisable but the basicconfiguration is the same as the Hitrole’s, as it exceeds the 12.7 mmrequirements.Thedaychannel is an in-houseproductwithPALandHD-SDI outputs, 23.6° field of view and x34 zoom, 1.55 µmVectronix LRF3000six-kilometre laser rangefinderandSagemMatisSPthermal imager.TheHitrole 20, with its fully digital architecture and auto-tracker, can becontrolled from a stand-alone console, or on request be integrated intothe ship combat management system. Alternative weapons underconsideration include theGeneralDynamicsM61A1Vulcan,whichOtoMelarahas testedaspartof itsgunshipsolution for theC-27JSpartan, thissix-barrelgunbelchingouta4,000-roundperminute firepowercomparedtotheM197’s750or theATKM230LFchaingun’ssimilarratewith30x113mm ammunition. Oto Melara and SAKT will market the new systemaccording to their individual geographical spheres of influence, withproduction takingplaceboth in ItalyandtheUnitedArabEmirates.

I POLAND AND ROMANIAZakłady Mechaniczne “Tarnów”, now part of the new public holdingPGZ (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, Polish Armaments Group)has developed the ZSMU-1276 (Zdalnie SterowanyModułUzbrojenia,remote controlled module armament), that can be armed with theWKM-Bm12.7x99mmor theUKM-2000C7.62x51mmmachinegunsproducedbyZMTarnów itself andboth fed fromthe right.Twoversionsare available, the ZSMU-1276 A3 with 150 12.7 mm or 250 7.62 mmexternal ammo boxes, and the ZSMU-1276 C1 fitted with anammunition chute that ends under the armoured roof of the vehicleallowing under armour reloading. The less intrusive A3 is 28 kg lighterthan the externally fedversion.TheC1with the12.7mmweaponweighs169 kg, or 152 kg with the 7.62mm. The optronic suite is located in themiddle and comprises a day camera, a thermal imager and a laserrangefinder. The fact that ZM Tarnówmachine guns are fed from theright in Soviet-era style in spite of firing Nato-standard ammunitionallows the company to propose automatic weapons compatible with ��

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Remote Control Turrets:Armada 1/23/15 10:10 AM Page 7


Soviet-era turrets or with similar-eraweapons.A ready solution is theNSW-Utioschambered for 12.7x107mm rounds. Up tosix 81 mm smoke grenade launchers can beadded. The ZSMU-1276 developmentstarted in 2005, the latest success being theselection of the UKM-2000 C-armed A3 bythe Polish Army to equip the engineerversion of theRosomak 8x8.Unveiled at DSEI in 2013, the Romanian

Pro-Optica Anubis has since been certifiedby the Romanian Ministry of Defence.Designed for 12.7 and 7.62Western left-fedweapons it has a maximum elevation of 60°depressionof20°.Gyrostabilisedon twoaxes,the Anubis weighs 135 kg sans weapon orammunition. The Anubis also serves as anobservation tool, equippedas it iswithagoodsensor package that includes a 400,000-pixelday camera with a x30 zoom, a thermalimager with a 17-µm pitch 640x480-pixelarray thermal camera fitted with a two-lens systemor a x6 zoomand a5 km range laser rangefinder.Options include ballisticprotection, autotracking, roundcounter,image stabilisation, target grid calculator, andbattlemanagement system integration.A 40mmautomatic grenade launcher can also beadded, Pro-Optica being in the very lastphase of negotiations with an undisclosedcustomer that should soon order 50 units tobedelivered in 2015.

I ISRAELIsrael Military Industries has two lightstations knownasWave in its portfolio, but athird at prototype level is awaiting a launchcustomer. Bothmodels are designed for 7.62or 12.7mmmachine guns, but theWave 200

ismade forwestern left-feedweapons,whilethe Wave 300 is fed from the opposite sideto cater to eastern-typemachine guns such asthe PKT 7.62 mm or the NSVT 12.7 mm.One of the IMIWaves has been selected byan unspecified country for borderprotection (according to IMI the contractincludes “a conspicuous number” of unitsfor command and border control posts).Although the use of such weapon stationshas beenpromoted bynumerous companiesin the past few years for such purposes, thismight well be a first border securityapplication. IMI has also chalked up asecond order, but this time related to a newnaval version dedicated to right-feedweapons known as the Wave 300N; hereagain the customer remains undisclosed,

Developed by Pro-Optica of Romania theAnubis is designed for western, left

ammo feedmachine guns. (Pro-Optica)

Israel Military Industries did not disclose which of its Wavemodels was selected for a border security project. (IMI)

TheWave 300 isdesigned for right-feedmachineguns, the typicalSoviet-era layout,this turret havingrecently won acontract from anundisclosedcountry. (IMI)



but with down payment received, the firstprototype is planned for early 2015.

Leveraging recent developments in thefield, Rafael has added one more option toits portfolio, the Samson Mini MLS.Equipped with a single automatic weaponthe company considers it as part of theSamsonMini family, although it is based onthe external structure of the Samson Dual.It does however carry a second weaponsystem in the form of a missile launchsystem (MLS). Both theweapon station andthe multi-sensor day/night sight are fullystabilised. The turret can be fitted to anylight-armoured, high-mobility fightingvehicle, new or upgraded, withoutmodifications.Theautomaticweaponcanbean M2HB 12.7 mm or a KPVT 14.5 mmmachine gun, Rafael having developed itboth for right- and left-feeds, by putting theammunition box in the lower part of thestation. A 40 mm automatic grenadelauncher can also be installed, as well assmaller calibre machine guns. The fully-integrated missile launcher is mounted onthe right and contains two multi-purpose

Spike LRs (Long Range). While the missileseeker ensures maximum precision in thefinalphase, the fibre-optic guidanceensures atwo-waydata communication that allows theshooter to observe the target until the lastmoment while it also allows redirecting themissile should the target change.The sight isindependent fromeitherweaponelevations,allowingobservationevenwhen themachinegun is in a non- threatening posture (50°maximum elevation, maximum depression20°; missile launcher arc is +45°/-5°). TheSamsonMini MLS now includes numerousadditional capabilities such as laser rangefinder, target tracking, advanced fire control,electrical remote cockingand roundcounter.The weapon station can be used by both thecommander and the gunner who can alsodefine fire-inhibit zones. Manual machinegun operation is available in case of powerfailure. The station runs on 24 V, averagecurrent consumption being 20A, peaking at40A. The lower part of the turret is providedwith a ballistic protection that among otherpluses hides the ammunition box. It weighs440 kg ready for battle, with the two nine-

kilo missiles and 150 rounds (that numbercan be increased if the vehicle is able towithstand a higher weight). Up to eightsmoke grenade launchers can be installedon the turret outer structure. Rafael is alsoready to integrate other types of antitankmissiles. The SamsonMiniMLShas alreadyscored orders from one unspecifiedcustomer and is currently in production.

I BRAZILIn Brazil the Empresa Gerencial deProjetosNavais (Emgepron), the state-ownedcompany linked to theMinistryofDefenceofBrazil throughtheCommandof theNavy,hasdeveloped theCorced, anaval station that canbe armedwith anM2 12.7mmmachine gunoranFNMAG7.62.Gyrostabilised, itweighs170kg.Theammunitionboxonthe leftof theweapon contains 300 12.7 mm or 460 7.62mmrounds.On the right is the optronic podhousing a daytime camera with a x23 zoom,a thermalcamerabeingofferedasoption.TheCorced,which runson115VACor24VDC(drawing amaximumof 60A at 24V) is fullydevelopedandready forproduction.

Ready for production,the Corced navalstation is developed inBrazil by Emgeprom, acompany directlylinked to the BrazilianNavy. (Emgeprom)

38

The latest addition to theSamson family is theSamson Mini MLS, whichfeatures an integratedtwin Spike-LR missilelauncher. (Rafael)




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INTERNATIONAL: The trusted source for defence

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DRONES

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Doug Richardson

Legacyair-defence radars—immediatelyrecognisable by traditional featuressuch as mechanically rotating arrays,and antennae based on the long-

established reflector and microwave feed,and generating their radio-frequency (RF)power from a transmitter based on vacuum-tube technology such as the travelling wavetube (TWT)—are in service in largenumberswith armed forces around the world, both atland sites and aboard warships. But talk to aradar engineer, and you will soon learn thatmany of the radars now under developmentor enteringproductioncombine features thatmakeolder traditional radars lookasobsoleteas the propeller-driven fighter, and thesteam-turbine-driven destroyer or frigate.

Several technological trends can beidentified:�The traditional forms of antenna are givingway to active electronically scanned (Aesa)arrays.� The gallium arsenide (GaAs) technologyused by earlier Aesa radars is being replacedby gallium nitride (GaN).�The use of GaN technology, which can runat higher operating temperatures than GaAs,can allow a switch from liquid cooling to aircooling.� The growing use of open architecture andcots (commercial off-the-shelf) hardware.� Radar capability controlled by softwarerather than hardware, so that functionsformerlydoneusing specialisedRFhardwarecan now be handled by reconfigurable field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) anddigital signal processors (DSPs).

� Modularity and scalability are being usedto speed the development of new radars.Commonality simplifies productdevelopment and provides economies ofscale during manufacture.� Radars are becoming more mobile, withfaster set-upand tear-downtimes—measuresintended to make them more survivable.� Some users want radars able to trackballistic threats or even short-range rocketandmortar threats, aswell as fixedandrotarywing aircraft.� Some radars are using VHF frequenciesthought to be better at detecting stealthyaircraft and missiles.� Older radars are being given aperformance-enhancing performance boostvia retrofit programmes.

No single radar incorporates all of thesetrends, but a survey of some recently

Air Defence Radars

Digital Defenders forToday’s AirspaceIt’s not just theworld of tablets and ‘smart’ phoneswhere technological developmentsaremaking the systems of yesterday little better thanmuseum exhibits. Digitaltechnology is changingweapons systems of all types, and the land-based and shipboardradars used for air defence are no exception to this rule.

Northrop Grumman’s AN/TPS-80 radar was designed to replace no less than fiveolder radars currently in USMarine Corps service. (Northrop Grumman)

Air Defence Radars:Armada 1/22/15 1:07 PM Page 2

41INTERNATIONAL 1/2015

announced radar systems and upgrades willillustrate how someof these trends are beingapplied inpractice.Intended to replace legacy radars such as

theAN/MPQ-62 andAN/TPQ-46 (from theHAWKmissile system), the AN/TPS-63 (airsurveillance),AN/TPS-73(air traffic control),and AN/TPQ-36/37 (artillery tracking andlocating), theNorthropGrummanAN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar(G/ATOR) was developed to meet therequirements of the earlierMulti-Role RadarSystem (MRRS) and Ground WeaponsLocatorRadar (GWLR)programmes.Asinglehardwareconfigurationconsistsof

a trailer-mountedradar, theCommunicationsEquipment Group (CEG) mounted on aHumvee,andPowerEquipmentGroup(PEG)mounted on a medium tactical vehicle. Thecomplete system is air-portable in a C-130Hercules.Deployment time is expected tobeonly 30 minutes, while tear-down timeshouldbe 45minutes.AnAesa radarwith an air-cooled antenna

array, it was originally designed to use GaStechnology, but was switched to GaN after

delivery of the first two sets. The G/ATORoperatesat2-4GHz,andcanbeswitchedfromone task toanotherbydifferent software.A USD 207.29 million for four low-rate

initial production systems for theUSMCwasawarded in October 2014, and called forhardwaredeliveries in 2016-17.The G/ATOR will be fielded in three

blocks.Block 1 is focused on the short-range air-

defence andair-surveillance roles.Block 2 will add a counterfire capability,

with the radar detecting and trackingincoming artillery and rocket projectiles.Block 3 will offer improved performance

againstmore advanced threats.Block 4 (which will probably be fielded

ahead of Block 3) will provide air-trafficcontrol capabilities.Every radar delivered will have the

inherent capabilities required for all fourBlockmissions.The G/ATOR also became the jumping-

off point forNorthropGrumman’s candidateto meet the US Air Force’s ThreeDimensional Expeditionary Long-Range

Fixed-site radars are easily targeted inwartime. This Serbian radar site at Pristina

was knocked out early during the 1990Operation Allied Force by NATO. (NATO)

When developing its candidate to meet theUSAF’s Three Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar (3DELRR) requirement, LockheedMartin created a design that could easily bescaled up to meet a perceived need for areplacement for the long-serving AN/FPS-117sair-surveillance radar. (Lockheed Martin)


Radar (3DELRR) requirement to replace theAN/TPS-75, a late-1960s surveillance radarthat is becoming more difficult to maintainas it approaches the endof its service life.The G/ATOR had been designed with

scalability in mind, so an S-band derivativepromised to meet not only the Air Force’s3DELRR requirement but also theDepartment of Defence’s Better BuyingPower policy of reusing investments thathave already been made. Reusing G/ATORtechnology promised to allow commonupgrades andmodifications for both radars,andoffer savings in spares and support.For its 3DELRR candidate, Lockheed

Martinproposed anL-banddesignbasedona modular and scalable architecture thatwould allow changes should the customeralter the requirement, and allow the designtobe scaledup tocreate a fixed-site radar ableto replace the ageing AN/FPS-117s air-surveillance radar.InOctober 2014, a third design offered by

Raytheon and operating in C-band wasselected as the winner. The company wasawarded aUSD19million contract for initialengineeringandmanufacturingdevelopment,and the delivery of three systems. A furtherthreeproduction radarswereplanned, givingthe programme a potential total value ofUSD71.8million.

The losing teams filed immediateprotestswith the US Government AccountabilityOffice (GAO), placing the programme inlimbountil a reviewhas been carried out—aprocess that could takeup to threemonths.Raytheon’sAir andMissileDefenseRadar

(AMDR) is being developed as the next-generation integratedair andballisticmissiledefence radar for theUSNavy, andwill enterservice on DDG 51 Flight III destroyers.During its development, much emphasis isbeing given to the concept of scalability. Thecreation of a series of radar building blockscalled Radar Modular Assemblies allowsthese to be stacked together to create anydesired size of radar aperture, resulting in anantenna array that can be either smaller orsignificantly larger than that used in today’sSPY-1D(V) radar, while the cooling, power,command logic and software will also bescalable, allowing new installations suitablefor use in new type of warship, or forretrofittingonexisting ships.TheuseofGaNtechnologyreduces thesize

of the hardware needed to generate a specificlevel of power, and reduces the amount ofelectricpowerandcoolingrequired.

The AMDR uses a fully programmable,back-end radar controller built fromcots x86processors, so it will be easily upgradablewith future processors to allow the system tocopewith emerging threats.Once again, this is a radar the capabilities

of which are software driven. It comes as nosurprise to read in a November 2014companypress releasenot that the radarwasbeing credited with having successfullytrackeda simulatedAnti-AirWarfare (AAW)target, but that this event had been achievedby what was described as the “first majorsoftwarebuild” for the radar.Raytheon is using what it terms an “agile

softwaredevelopmentmethodology”.Aseriesof monthly software increments undergointegrationandtest, so thatproblemsorotherissues can be identified and resolved as earlyas possible, and not after all the software hasbeen written. According to the company,this methodology promotes “accelerateddevelopment, early risk mitigation andincreased softwarematurity”.Another example of an Aesa radar

developed for the purpose of tracking bothaircraftandmissiles isElta’sEL/M-2084Multi-MissionRadar(MMR).Thedesignismodularand scalable, and two variants are known.These have maximum ranges of 150 km and350kmrespectively intheair surveillancerole.This radar operates in S-band, and is

probably best known in its role as part of theRafael Advanced Defense Systems’ IronDome anti-rocket system. It has also takenpart in tests of theDavid’s Slingmid-tier anti-rocket system due to enter limited initialservice in 2015.Israel realises that its IronDomedefences

will be a potential target in any future rocketbombardments, sodesigned the systemtobemobile. The radar can be mounted in avehicle, or on a small pedestal. The latterconfiguration allows set-up and tear-downtimesof less thanhalf anhour.

42

Scalability is a key concept in Raytheon’s AirandMissile Defense Radar (AMDR) for the US

Navy’s DDG 51 Flight III destroyers. Thedesign has the flexibility needed to allow the

speedy creation of new variants for otherclasses of warship. (Raytheon)

“The losing teams filedimmediate protestswiththe USGovernmentAccountability Office(GAO), placing theprogramme in limbo untila review has been carriedout—a process that couldtake up to threemonths.”

Air Defence Radars



Russia sees VHF radar as a potentialsolution to the problem of tracking stealthaircraft and stealthy cruisemissiles.WhetherRussian radar engineers have correctlyidentified a weakness in US stealthtechnology remains tobe seen.There is someevidence that the US Air Force hasrecognised the need to have a low radarsignature at such longwavelengths.However,they have proceeded to develop a newgeneration of VHF surveillance radars witha claimedanti-stealth capability.In the West, we associate the term Aesa

with radars whose antennae are made up oflarge numbers of small solid-state T/Rmodules. Russian engineers have nothesitated to apply theAesa principle toVHFradars suchas theNNIIRT1L119NeboSVU.Chinese engineers followed the same

technological route, and the huge JH-27AVHF Aesa radar displayed at the recent

Zuhai air show is already said to be inoperational service.In the past, many Russian VHF

surveillance radars have been large andrelatively immobile. Radars such as the5N84AE Oborona had set-up and strike-down times of more than 12 hours. This is

changing. When designing its Vostok D/Eradar, engineers fromKBRadarwere atpainsto combine VHF operation with mobility,creating an antenna array that canbe rapidlyextendedand retracted, allowing a total tear-down timeof only sixminutes.Another concept being pioneered by

Russian engineers is that of combiningsurveillance radars operating at two ormorefrequencies into a single integrated system.One example of this approach is the55Zh6UME(alsoknownas theNebo-UME).Developed by NNIIRT, and first displayed atthe 2013Maks air show, this has two antennaunits mounted back-to-back in a singlerotatingassembly.Oneantennaoperates intheVHFband, theother inL-band(decimetric).Both antennae are used to determine the

azimuthpositionof targets.TheL-bandarrayis used to determine target elevation, whilethe VHF array is reported to be used tomeasure target range.Thehigher resolutionofthe L-band array is also used to determineprecise target co-ordinates. This use of dualfrequencies is alsounderstood to improve theradar’s resistance to jamming.

“Russia sees VHF radaras a potential solution tothe problem of trackingstealth aircraft andstealthy cruisemissiles.Whether Russian radarengineers have correctlyidentified aweakness inUS stealth technologyremains to be seen (…)”

44

Air Defence Radars


The EL/M-2084 radar owes much of its fame to the high-performance role it recently wassubmitted to as part of the Rafael David’s Sling system in Israel’s defence against massive rocketattacks from Gaza. This example, about to be despatched, was photographed by Armada at Elta’sfacilities. It can also be used as stand-alone version sans vehicle. (Armada/Eric H. Biass)


NNIIRT’s 55Zh6M Nebo-M (also available in an export variant designated55Zh6MENebo-ME) takes the use ofmultiple frequencies a stage further. It usesthree antenna units, each operating in a different band.The 55Zh6M has been in Russian Air Force service for some years, and was

first shownpublicly during the centennial celebration of RussianAir Force held atthe Zhukovskiy Test Centre in 2012.TheVHF (metric) subsystem is designatedRLM-M (radiolokatsionniymodul

- metroviy diapazon), while the L-band (decimetric) S-band (centimetric)subsystems are the RLM-D (radioloaktsionniy modul - decimetroviy diapazon)andRLM-S (radiolokatsionniymodul - santimetroviy diapazon) respectively. Allthree are linked to the KU RLK (kabina upravleniya radiolokatsionnovokompleksa) command and control cabin.All four are mounted on a BAZ-6909-015 four-axle wheeled chassis which

incorporates ahydraulic subsystemfor antenna stabilisation, unfoldingand folding.Each also has a GPS/GLONASS land-navigation system own power source, data-exchange and control RF links, and an electrical power generator. According toNNIIRT,deployment andstrike-down time for the entire system isonly15minutes.Despite the existence of these VHF-band Aesa and multi-frequency systems,

there has beennounclassified reaction from theUS low-observable community totheir existence, or any indication as to whether they represent a real or potentialthreat toAmerican stealth aircraft.

The use of VHF frequencies for radar no longerimplies relative immobility. The tear-down time forKB Radar’s Vostok D/Emobile radar is onlysix minutes. (KB Radar)

NNIIRT’s 55Zh6MNebo-M uses three antenna units, operating in centimetric(left), decimetric (centre) andmetric (right) wavelength, (NNIIRT)


I WESTERN EUROPEDeveloped by BAE Systems MaritimeServices, the Royal Navy’s E/F-bandmultibeam Type 997 radar (also known asArtisan 3D) draws on technology from theSampsonmultifunction shipboard radar, andthe Commander series of ground-based air-defence radars. Its antenna-mounted solid-state transmitter borrows from theCommander power amplifier, while thewaveform generator and digital front-endreceiversarebasedonthose in theSampson. Itdraws less power than the earlier Type 996,andrequires lesschilledwater forcooling.ThesignalprocessingisbasedonbasedonMercurySystemsopen-architecture subsystems.

In May 2014, Saab Electronic DefenceSystems unveiled three land-based radarsystems and two naval variants. All had beencompany-funded projects, and draw onconcepts and technology fromthe company’sthen-existingrangeof radars.

The new radars, which are all companyfunded, build on the designs of—and featurecommonalities with—Saab’s current rangeof radars, including the Giraffe AMBmultirole surveillance radar, Arthurweapon-locating radar, andErieye airborneearly-warning radar.

TheGiraffe1XanditsSeaGiraffe1Xnavalvariantare lightweightAesaradarsoperatinginX-band, and intended for mobile, static, orship-basedshort-rangeapplications.

TheGiraffe4AanditsSeaGiraffe4Anavalcounterpart are S-band Aesa multifunctionradars thatcombinemediumtolongrangeair-surveillance, air-defence, and weapon-locatingcapabilities ina single sensor.

Also operating in S-band, the Giraffe 8Asurface-based radar is suitable for the long-range air surveillance and tactical ballisticmissiledefence role. It is the sameradar as theGiraffe 4A, butuses a larger antenna inordertoobtain its increased range capability.

All these new Saab EDS radars use GaNsemiconductors.

ThalesNederland’sNS100E/F-band 3-Dradar exploits technology from theApar andSmile/SeaMaster 400 electronically scannedarray radars, and from the Smart-S Mk 2rotatingmultibeam radar.

Thales has developed its SR3D platformarchitecture inamanner thatallowsaseriesofmodularprocessingelementsandRFbuildingblocks to be used across its new-generationradar products. By varying the number of RFmodules, variants with differing levels oftransmitted power canbe offered for frigates,corvettes,patrolvessels, and fast attackcraft.

46

Improved software is one of thefeatures being used to improveSaab Electronic Defence Systems’C-band Giraffe AMB radar.(Saab Electronic Defence Systems)

Air Defence Radars



This growing emphasis on softwaremeans that new functions can be added to aradar in much the same way that newfunctions can be added to a ‘smart’ mobilephoneby installingnewapplication software.

For some operators of traditional radars,a technology upgrade can prove an effectiveway of improving system performance.Saab has upgraded its existing C-bandGiraffe AMB and Arthur radars under

schemes that retain the existing travelling-wave tube technology for power generation,but use improved software to provideincreased capabilities.

In2012, SaabSensis announced that ithadsuccessfully completed Site AcceptanceTesting of a modernisation applied to fourHughes Air Defense Radars (HADR)operated by the German Air Force. Firstdeployed more than 30 years earlier, theseradars lack the capability to accurately detectand track some of today’s threats, whilemaintenance had becomemost difficult andtime consuming, and costly as a result ofcomponent-obsolescence issues.

Commercial-off-the-shelf hardware wasused to create a receiver/exciter, radar signalprocessor, radar data processor and displayfunction in a single electronics cabinet thatpromised to improve detection and trackingof current air threats, while being easier andless costly tomaintain.

BAE SystemsMaritime Services Type 997radar (ARTISAN 3D) uses open-architecturesignal processing, and will require less powerthan cooling than the earlier Type 996.(BAE SystemsMaritime Services)

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In the naval field, the shrinking in thephysical size of hardware that result fromusingmodern technology simplifies the taskof installing a new or updated radar on anexisting ship as part of amid-life upgrade.

I LOWER-COST SOURCES UNWISEInEasternEurope, and incountries thatwereonce client states of the former SovietUnion,many armed forces face the problem ofhaving to operate ageing radar systems ofSovietorigin. It ishardly surprising thatmanyRussian and East European companies havedevelopedmodernisation schemes intendedto prolong the service life of these radars. Inmost cases, these schemes are focused onreplacingobsolete componentsorevenentiresubsystems with modern equivalents ofimprovedperformance.But this isnot a routeto state-of-the-art radarperformance.

Inevitably, a customer needing modernradarwill bewise to shopwith one of the ‘bigname’ manufacturers. Buying radars fromlower-cost sources canbeunwise, asEcuadordiscoveredseveralyearsagowhenits recently-purchasedChineseair-defenceradarsprovedunsatisfactory foroperational service.

Lesser-known electronic industries suchas those of Iran and North Korea pose theirownrisk to theunwary customer. Someclues

to the state of North Korea’s radar industryemerged in 2011 when The DemocraticVoice of Burma, a media organisation runby Burmese expatriates, published a leakedcopy of a report describing a visit made tothat country in 2008 by a team from theMyanmarArmed Forces.

Two patterns of search radar were shownto the visitors, who described these as“modified Russian and Chinese searchradars” and reported that these incorporatedsome degree of improved technology. Onehad been partly digitised. The visitingdelegationconcluded that itwouldbewise toinvestigate what more established radarsuppliers couldprovide.

48

To judge from the configuration of the antenna array, technology from the Russian ‘Spoon Rest A’and ‘Spoon Rest B’ VHF radars seems to have found its way into this North Korean radar shown toa military delegation from Myanmar in 2008. According to a leaked copy of its report, thedelegation was unimpressed by the level of technology in the North Korean radars it inspected.(Myanmar Armed Forces, via The Voice of Burma)

Watch this SpaceThis article, the first of a series onmodern radar technology, is aimedat presenting the most recent typesof the air defence variety. The nextone, scheduled for our Paris AirShow issue, will concentrate on thetechnologies involved. (Ed.)

Thales has developed its SR3D platform architecture to create a series of buildingblocks that can be used in a range of new radars. This artist’s impression shows Thales

Nederland’s NS100 E/F-band 3-D naval radar. (Thales Nederland)

Air Defence Radars




Naval Countermeasures

Naval Soft-kill TechnologiesSoft-kill anti-ship missile self-protection techniques have evolved significantly sincethe October 1967 sinking of the Israeli destroyer Eilat by an SS-N-2 Styx anti-ship missileto match the ever-growing missile threat, both in terms of smartness and numbers.Indeed missiles continuously get faster, stealthier, more manoeuvrable and increasinglyintelligent in terms of target discrimination and electronic countermeasures.

Naval Countermeasures:Armada 1/22/15 1:13 PM Page 2

51INTERNATIONAL 1/2015

According to a document releasedby theBritishMinistryofDefence’sMaritime IntegratedDefenceAidsSuite Programme office, 241 anti-

shipmissile attackshaveoccurred since1967,of which 113 were not defeated and the rest(exceptone)defeatedbysoft-kill systems.Off-board expendable soft-kill technology hasattempted to keep pace with the threats. Not

only have launching systems, for example,evolved from fixed station to trainablesystems, but the payloads used areincreasinglyadapted formultiroleoperations.ChemringCountermeasures, asoneof the

world’s leading manufacturer of 130 mmcountermeasures roundsanddecoypayloads,decidedin2009to invest inthedevelopmentofan advanced system today known asCenturion. This is a 12x130 mm barrelledfully trainable launcher that minimises theneed for shipmanoeuvreandat the sametimeprovides faster reaction times. In addition tobeingcompatiblewithexisting130mmnavalinfrared and radar-guided-guided missilecountermeasures rounds andother payloadssuch as obscurants, it has been specificallydesigned, inconjunctionwitha familyofnewadvanced variable Range Multi-payloadRounds, to be adaptable to defeat futurethreats and accommodate future solutions.Moreover, it alsooffers significantcapability inotherwarfareareas including thedeploymentof anti-torpedo countermeasures andsolutions tocounterasymmetric, terrorist andpiracy threats. During tests in November2013 Chemring, together with Raytheon,successfully fired a Javelin missile from thetrainable launcher prototype with theobjective of developing a naval anti-surfacecapability. The Centurion’s low weight andsmall deck footprint make it applicable toplatforms frompatrol craft through tomajorcombatant vessels. The combination oftrainable launcher and the variable rangecapability allows payload placement to becontrolled in three axes. Positional accuracyis further enhanced through stabilisation oftheaimpoint tocounter shipmovement.Thisgives better ship signature replication in themissiles seeker and offers a step change insoft-kill performance, according toChemring. Still in an advance developmentand trials phase, Centurion has beendeveloped for perceived British and worldmarketneeds for a trainable launcher.Among the latest in-service development

in trainable launchers, Rheinmetall hasunveiledat theEuronaval2014exhibitionnearParis a new version of its market-leadingMulti-Ammunition Soft-kill System (Mass)with an anti-torpedo capability, representedby up to fourDCNSCanto decoys launchers.Existing launcherscanbeeasilyequippedwiththe new anti-torpedo upgrade kit withoutmodification, addingbasically anyprovider-independent system. TheMass is offered byRheimentall as a lightweight, low shipimpact, low-signature soft-kill system

employingasingle typeofprogrammable-fuseammunition. Based on a low RCS stabilisedand trainable 32-barrel launcher, it uses thesamecompany-provided81mm-calibre spin-stabilised Omni-Trap multispectral decoy,covering radar, infrared, laser, electro-opticaland ultraviolet (and optionally millimetric)wavebands for employment in seduction,distractionandconfusionmodes.TheMass isin service or in orderwithmore than a dozenworldwide navies and its latest customer isNew Zealand, which ordered it in a twin-launcher configuration with long-rangecapability to equip two of its Meko-classfrigates in a configuration including a Saablaser warning receiver to counter the ever-growing asymmetric threat. Rheinmetall ishowevercooperatingwithIAI/Elta inIsrael tointegrate itsNavGuardradar-basedprojectilewarning system that is able to detect evensmall incoming threats, as evidenced by alive-firing testing against a passive-guidedMilan anti-tankmissile.

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missiledestroyer Ramage has received the

rapid response capability provided bythe Mk-59 floating RF decoy based on

corner reflectors to counter modernanti-ship missile. ( US Navy)

Luca Peruzzi

As a private venture, Chemring hasdeveloped the advanced 12x130 mm barrelfully trainable Centurion launcher system thatminimises the need for a ship to manoeuvre.A fast-reaction system, the Centurion hasbeen designed to be adaptable to futurethreats and accommodate new decoysolutions. ( Luca Peruzzi)


Building on the success of the widelysold Dagaie and Dagaie Mk 2 decoysystem developed in conjunction withcountermeasures specialist Lacroix, Sagem(part of Safran group) has developed theNew-GenerationDagaie System. Based on amodular architecture, this is a twin-axislauncher, trainable in elevationandazimuth,whichhasbeenacquired so far by theFrenchNavy for new Horizon type destroyers andFremmmultirole frigates (also delivered toMorocco). Delivered in a 12-barrelconfigurationand firingLacroix’s families ofnew generation Sealem and Sealir decoyrockets, they deployRF and IRpayloads. Anactive off-board decoy round called Sealadand an acoustic anti-torpedo called Sealathavealsobeendeveloped.The fact that a low-RCS launcher variant of thisnew-genDagaiewith eight launch tubes is deployedonboardRepublic of Singapore Navy’s Formidable-class frigates is an open secret. The Frenchcompany is also marketing the Dagaie NGversion which includes 62/80 mm SealemandSealir decoysdevelopedbyLacroix.Elbit is marketing the Deseaver Mk II

which, inaddition to IsraeliNavy’splatforms,equips the Indian Navy’s new-generationfrontline ships, including Kolkata-classdestroyers and stealth Kamorta-class anti-submarinewarfare corvettes.The traversable,72-barrel, trainable stabilised launcher withreduced radar cross-section allows for veryfast and accurate decoy deployment, evenduring violent evasive manoeuvres. In itslatest version, the Deseaver system featuresnew computers, enhanced displays andimproved software-based functionalities,

launching up to 10 different decoy rockettypes to provide multi-layered defence in allsoft-killmodes (confusion,distraction,dumpandcentroid seduction).Thedevelopmentandproductionofdecoy

munitions for the IsraeliNavy is verymuch inthehandsofRafael,whichsuppliesacompleterange of products including the Long-RangeChaff Rocket (LRCR), the Medium-RangeChaff Rocket (MRCR), the BT-4 short rangechaff rocket, the Heatrap IR decoy and theWideband Zapping Anti-Radar Decoy(Wizard).Theseprogrammabledecoyroundsare also employed by Rafael’s IntegratedDecoySystem(IDS)which features three linesof defence with real-time optimised decoydeployment, a fixed or trainable launchingsystem, andacomputeriseddecoycontroller.Amodular design, the IDS easily adapts to awide range of platforms sizes. The trainablelauncher, which includes four side-mountedLRCR tubes and 24-to-60 115 mm tubes formedium and short-range decoys, accordingto Rafael, provides an effective ship defencethat capitalises onprecise decoy location andoptimiseddefence.Italy’sFinmeccanicagroupismarketingthe

OtoMelaraOdlsdecoyLauncher, alsoknownas the Sclar-H. In the latter configuration,which is deployed on board Italian Navy’slatest frontlineships, includingCavouraircraftcarrier,Horizontypedestroyers,FremmsandtherecentlydeliveredAlgerianNavy’s flatdeckamphibious and logistic support ship, OtoMelara is responsible for the launcher andSelex ES for the decoy launch control.Designedforaccuratedeploymentof105-118mmcalibredecoyrocketsagainst radarandIR

homingmissiles, it can also be used for shorebombardment. Featuring a local control unitthat performs the interface with ships’ EWS,the Odls comes with up to two trainablelauncherunits, eachequippedwith15rocketsand fourmortar stations.Basedon the ItalianNavy’s advanced EW requirements for thenew frontline ship tobe sooncontracted,OtoMelara conducted a feasibility study and isproposing a new version, characterised by arevised-design but same layout and footprintOdls trainable launcher with 20 mortarstations able to launch not only the fullrange of 130mmIRandRFdecoys availableon the market and under development, butalso the rocket-propelled large-payloaddeployment vehicle compatible with 130mm launchers. Hence a wide range ofpayloads can be employed, including ASW,obscuration or other bespoke payloads. Thenew Odls is also designed to launch non-lethal countermeasures and to be retrofittedto the navy’s frontline ships without shipstructuremodifications.Decoy launching systems with barrels

fixed at pre-set angles and elevations haveproliferated in recent years.Themostnotable

52

At Euronaval 2014 Rheinmetall unveiled anew version of its trainable market-leadingMulti-Ammunition Soft-kill System (Mass)launcher with an anti-torpedo capabilitybased on up to four DCNS Canto decoyslaunchers. (Armada/Luca Peruzzi)


The trainable 32-barrel Rheinmetall Masslauncher uses the company’s 81mm-calibrespin-stabilised Omni-Trap multispectral decoy,covering radar, IR, laser, electro-optical andultraviolet (and optionally millimetric)wavebands. (Armada/Luca Peruzzi)



54



types include theMk 36 associated with 130mm Super Rapid Blooming OffboardChaff/NatoSeaGnatmunitions, andTerma’sSoft-kill Weapon System (SKWS). RecentlyrebrandedC-Guard and designed to protectnaval platforms against coordinated multi-threat/multi-directional attacks by missilesand torpedoes, andrelyingoncombatproven130mmNato decoys togetherwith a provenmechanical launcherdesignwithoutmovingparts, it is in service inmore than150 systemsworldwide.TheC-Guard is offered inDL-6Tguise with six tubes or DL-12T twelve-tubeconfiguration. Theirmulti-angular pair setsprovides advanced decision-making for theoperator and supports distraction andseduction mode in order to obtain the bestdefence against multi-directional attacks bymissiles. The system’s algorithm uses aclassified customer-owned database whichcan be modified to accommodate newthreats and tactics that may appear in thefuture. In combinationwith the rightdecoys,the algorithmensures that decoys are placedto counter any threat including the newestmissileswith small range gates.In the same fixed launcher installation

sector, French Lacroix defence group is

marketing the Sylena system, capable ofengaging both air and underwater threats,with the full range of the same company’sSeaclad familyof advancedcountermeasures,including Sealem Corner Reflector RF andSalir Morphologic IR decoys, together withanti-wake andDCNSCanto electro-acousticanti-torpedo ammunitions and the Seamoscelectro-optic-laser screening/maskingdecoys.Easy to integrate according to itsmanufacturer, lightweight and reducedfootprint capabilities, together with claimedvery low life cycle costs, the Sylena decoylauncher family is offered in four differentversions: Sylena LW or lightweight modelcapable to deploy anti RF/IRmissiles decoys(up to 10 stations), the baseline SylenaMk 1andMk2, which differs for the second beingalso capable to deploy electro-acoustictorpedo countermeasures in addition to antiRF/IRmissiles decoys (up to 16 stations + 3anti-torpedodecoy stations), and the SylenaMk2.The Sylena LWis fully operational andintegrated with Thales EW sensors in theDCNS Polaris combat system on board theGowindpatrol vesselL’Adroit in servicewithFrenchNavy andhas been contracted in thebaseline version for the Al-Ofouq-classpatrol vessels under construction andfitting-out by Singapore’s ST Marine forRoyalOmaniNavy.

I RADAR-GUIDED MISSILE THREATIn the threedecades since the1980s,when theFalklandsWar in the South Atlantic and theTankerWar in the Arabian Gulf showed theimportance of effective soft-kill defence, thetechnology and techniques applied to anti-shipmissiles has developed rapidly amongstleading European, Russian and Chineseproducers towards terminal guidance suitesthat are more discriminative and lesssusceptible to electronic countermeasures.Althoughmostanti-shipmissiles seekershavebeen developed to operate in J-band forincreased robustness and all-weathertolerance, the Ka-band millimetre-wave(mmW)radarguidanceofanewgenerationofChinese anti-ship missiles has becomeincreasingly common in the Arabian Gulfregion. Moreover, the asymmetric threats inthe littoral warfare arena have pushedindustries and navies to require and developdefence capabilities also against EO/IR andlaser guided surface-to-surfacemissiles.With the emergence of more advanced

threats, navies have been re-examining theirstrategies against RF missiles, as the moretraditional countermeasures will beincreasingly ineffective against these latestmissiles.However, activeRFdecoyshaveonlyentered service with a handful of navies.

Sagem’s New Generation Dagaie Systemfamily of modular trainable launchers includea low-radar cross section unit employingLacroix’s Seaclad new-generation family of62 and 150mm decoys. The French Navy’snew Horizon destroyers and Fremmmultirolefrigates (also delivered to Morocco) carry a12-barrel configuration with conventionalshield launcher. (Armada/Luca Peruzzi)

In addition to the latest generation family ofdecoys supplied to the Israeli Navy (includingboth IR and RF programmablemunitions),Rafael is promoting its Integrated DecoySystem (IDS), which features three lines ofdefence with real-time optimised decoydeployment, a fixed or trainable launchingsystem, and a computerised decoy controller.(Armada/Luca Peruzzi)

Recently renamed C-Guard, Terma’s Soft-killWeapon System is designed to protect navalplatforms against coordinatedmulti-threat/multi-directional attacks by missilesand torpedoes, relying on combat proven130mmNato decoys together with a provenmechanical launcher design featuring nomoving parts. ( Terma)


Passiverapid-inflatingcornerreflectors-basedRFdecoy are slowly gatheringpopularity, butthevastmajorityofsurfacewarshipsstill relyonchaff, firedfromfixedandtrainable launchers,as theirmainRFcountermeasures.Development and deployment of new

generation off-board active decoys (Obad),whichcombineapayloadcarrier vehiclewithanactiveEWpayload,began in the late1990s.Amongst the Obads in service, theUS/Australian Mk234 Nulka is the mostsuccessful, with over 1,000 rounds delivered.According to latest contractpress releases, theNulkaAODwill be fitted to 166 shipsmainlyAustralian,CanadianandUSnaval vessels by2019. Jointly manufactured by BAE SystemsAustralia (flightvehicle, shipboardelectronicsand launcher), and Lockheed Martin(electronic payload), the Nulka employs ahoveringrocketpropulsionsystemtopositionitself away from the launching ship in amanner consistent with the threat missileseeker’s range and angle tracking, using abroadbandrepeaterpayloadtopresentamoreattractive target.Tokeepthesystemat theedgeofcapabilities, theUSNavyhasestablishedanimprovedprogrammetoextendthefrequencyrange and effectiveness of the Obad payload.

Ease of integration, light weight, reducedfootprint and low life cycle costs are the mainfeatures of Lacroix’s Sylena family of decoylaunchers offered in four versions includingthis Sylena LW model capable of deployinganti RF/IR missiles decoys (up to 10 stations).(Armada/Luca Peruzzi)

The Seaclad family of new-generation decoysdeveloped by Lacroix includes both 62 and80 mm diameter versions of Sealem CornerReflector RF and Sealir Morphologic IRdecoys, together with anti-wake and DCNSCanto electro-acoustic anti-torpedoammunitions and the Seamosc electro-optic-laser screening/masking decoys.(Armada/Luca Peruzzi)


56

In the meantime (in October 2014), theAustralian government awarded twocontracts, one for the production of newrounds and the other covering the design ofnext generation of shipboard Nulka launchsystems for theRoyalAustralianNavy.Rafael, in Israel, has developed and is

marketing the C-GEM Obad as part of thelatest generation family of advanced RF andIR decoys. To counter modern radar seekersexploiting the principle of mon-pulse andlock-on receive only (Loro) techniques totrack maritime platforms as well as chaffidentificationanddiscriminationcapabilities,the Rafael system can be packed into astandard size chaff rocket and includes a low-power technique generator and high ERPtransmitter arrays that generate effectivejamming countermeasures. According toRafael documentation, the C-GEM’s mainfeatures are wideband frequency range,

extended spatial coverage, solid state activearray and electronic beam steeringtechniques, in addition to fire-and-forget andvery fast response capabilities.In Europe, the Royal Navy has been

operating theMk251Siren rounddevelopedby Marconi (now Selex ES) as part of theOutfitDLHdecoy suite since 2003.A rocket-launched decoy employing amultimode I/J-band jammer and suspendedbeneath apara-wing, theMk251jammer ispre-programmedbefore launch. Looking into the future theRoyal Navy and the French Royale havepartnered in the four-year Accoladetechnology demonstrator programme. Inaddition to Thales and Thales UK, theAccolade programme also sees theinvolvement of Blue Bear Systems ResearchinBritain for thedevelopmentof theairbornevehicle. After the successful Obad ballisticlaunch trials conducted in July 2013, theprogramme is, according to industry sources,expected to complete with a systemdemonstration in2015.The USNavy has more recently opted for

the rapid response capability offered by RFdecoys based on corner reflectors. InSeptember 2013, theUSNavy has contractedAirborneSystems,adivisionofHDTGlobal, tosupply a floating radio frequency cornerdeflectoranti-shipmissiledefencesystem.Thelatter isbasedonthesystemalreadysuppliedtothe Royal Navy by Airborne Systems. It is

knownas theOutfitDLF(3) and ismarketedin its export variant as the FDS3. TheBritishcompany has been supplying cornerdeflectors to the Royal Navy since 1986.Known asMk 59Mod 0 inUSNavy service,the RF decoy has begun to equip ArleighBurke-classdestroyers in late 2013.The latestcustomer is New Zealand, announcing acontract inOctober2014aspart of theAnzacclass frigate upgradeprogramme.According to theirmanufacturers, corner

deflectors decoys offer several advantagesincluding launch procedures that areindependent from ship manoeuvres,consistent radar reflector performance andextended endurance on the sea surface,insensitivity to thepolarisationof themissile’sradar, a ship like radar-cross section thatvaries ina similarmatter toa ship,multi-bandperformance extending into the millimetricwave region and the resistance to the chaffdiscriminatorsusedbymodernRFseekers.Few naval forces have developed and put

into service the same technology.TheFrenchNavyuses theLacroixSealemonanumberofcombatant class vessels. Introduced intoservice by mid-2000s, the 150 mm diameterSealem15-01/15-02 (1650/1800mm length)rocketsdeploy corner reflectors thatgeneratecustomer-tailored RCS over the durationrequired by of all tactical engagements(centroid seduction, distraction/seductionanddilution).Themore compact Sealem08-


TheMk234 Nulka system is the mostsuccessful Off-board Active Decoy (Obad) withover 1,000 rounds delivered. According to thelatest announcements, the Nulka will be fittedto 166 ships worldwide by 2019, includingAustralian, Canadian and US naval vessels. Itis jointly manufactured by BAE SystemsAustralia (flight vehicle, shipboard electronicsand launcher) and LockheedMartin(electronic payload). (Australian DoD)

The British company Airborne Systems has provided corner deflectors to the Royal Navy since1986, with the latest Outfit DLF(3) variant entering into service in 2006. Known as Mk 59Mod 0in US Navy service, it began to equip Arleigh Burke-class destroyers since late 2013. The latestcustomer is New Zealand as part of the Anzac class frigate systems upgrade project. (US Navy)



01/08-02mortar-basedrounds, for theirpart,havebeendevelopedaspartof the company’sexport-oriented Sylena small-ship decoylauncher system.

In service with the Israeli Navy Rafael’sWizard (Wideband Zapping Anti-RadarDecoy) has been demonstrated to Natonavies in 2007. TheWizard is a free-flight ,fin-stabilised, solid-propellant 115 mmdiameter rocket thatdeploys cornerdeflectorpayloads, which distracts or seduces radar-guided anti-shipmissiles providing a returnsignal similar to a shipwithaRCSofbetween1,500 and4,000 squaremetres.

Significantly, important navies areworkingonnew technologies and systems toprovide a better protection against newthreat. The US Navy has established theAdvanced Off-board Electric Warfareprogramme, which is intended to deliver a

long-endurance off-board countermeasurescapability “for use in next generation co-ordinated EWmissions against current andfuture anti-shipmissile threats”, according toNaval Sea Systems Command. While theMk59Mod0 introduction into service is thefirst increment of this programme, with thelatest and second increment, officiallyacknowledged in April 2014, the US Navysolicited proposals for the development of anew anti-ship missile defence electronicattack (EA) payload to be deployed fromMH-60 helicopters but operated under thecontrol of the shipborne AN/ASLQ-32electronic warfare (EW) suite. The AOEWActive Mission Payload (AMP) Concept ofoperations envisages the EW suite detectingthe in-coming anti-shipmissile threats, thencueing and controlling the helicopter-borneAMPvia aLink16 communications link).

58


Lacroix countermeasures specialist ismarketing the 150mm diameter Sealem(Special Advanced Lacroix ElectroMagneticRF decoy) corner reflector launcher rocket.Themore compact Sealem 08mortar-basedrounds have been developed as partof the company’s export-oriented Sylenasmall-ship decoy launcher system.(Armada/Luca Peruzzi)


The Israeli Navy has introduced the Rafael Wizard (Wideband Zapping Anti-Radar Decoy)system, which has been demonstrated to Nato navies in 2007, as seen here. TheWizard is afree-flight, fin-stabilised, solid-propellant 115mm diameter rocket that deploys corner deflectorpayloads, that distract or lure radar-guided anti-ship missiles. ( Rafael)

NEXT ISSUE APRIL/MAY 2015:1 APRIL,ADVERTISING: 16MARCH

� Compendium –Artillery fromA to Z: Thisnew Compendiumwill start with hand-held targetacquisition and designation systems, which inrecent missions have become a key tool asaccuracy is now a top-priority given the additionalconstraints on collateral damage. Other targetingmeans can be used, mounted on land, air and evenspatial platforms, but this would enlarge toomuchthe scope of the publication. The principles of andneed for artillery C4I will be examined thoughmostsuites are tailored to varying doctrine needs. ThisCompendiumwill of course cover effectors, heavymortars, field and self-propelled howitzers, rocketlaunchers and ammunition (especially new familiesas well as the guided types).

� Transport Aircraft:Often regarded as themilitary’s poor child, the transport aircraft world isnow going through an important change tomatchthe requirements of the newworld order, andparticularly the need tomove troops and nowdifferent equipment to remote, unprepared areas.

�Medium Range Air Defence: A number ofcountries are looking at ways of upgrading their airdefence systems in an atmosphere in whichpolitical (especially), industrial and economicalissues arm wrestle with tactical and technicalconsiderations. While looking at improving ABMcapabilities, US, Europe, Russia and Chinachampions are fighting against each other forlucrative contracts.

� Close Quarter Combat: Chances of having tofight in towns and urban areas are increasing day byday. Soldiers need new tools to operate in built-upareas, maintaining information superiority in areas

which are usually best known by their opponents.Effectors must also be tailored to those scenarios.

� Counter Terrorism Equipment: Counter-terrorism equipment ranges from small arms tosatellite surveillance. This article will try to figureout the latest developments that may be of use forthose who are involved in defeating terrorism attactical level.

� Border Surveillance: The title is almost self-explanatory. The idea is to monitor long borderswaths with a minimum of personnel, whichinvolves radars and electro-optical devices that canbe pole-mounted or airborne, generally in tetheredballoons for better endurance.

� Show Report – Euronaval: The Biennial navalexhibition near Paris had quite a few novelties toreveal, according to Armada’s two reportersdespatched to the event.


Armada International Feb Mar 2015

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Transcript of Armada International Feb Mar 2015