Emerging Technologies
Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment | Soldier Sensors and Lasers | Soldier Warrior | Soldier Weapons
Head Gear System
Recent experiences in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom have identified the need to integrate head protection against ballistics, fragmentation, blast, blunt force, flash heat, and noise into a single lightweight, modular, scalable headgear system. Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier is working to develop a Soldier-centric Head Gear System (HGS) that provides ballistic and traumatic brain injury protection as well as face, neck, and hearing protection. The HGS also will incorporate integrated sensor inputs along with display hardware and software for increased situational awareness. The system will address technology gaps identified by the Capabilities Development Integration Directorate of the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command by including:
- Upgradable protection against impact and ballistic threats.
- Optimized display and sensor input, both audio and visual, to deliver actionable information to the warfighter.
- Modular, integrated chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) protection.
- Face, neck, and hearing protection.
- Increased visual and audio data representation of the warfighter.
- Optimized sensor packages for use in all natural and man-made conditions, such as obscurants.
The headgear system will be based on a modular platform for which protection levels and system enhancements can be added or removed based on mission requirements and/or predetermined threat assessments. HGS will be a lightweight, multifunctional system that protects Soldiers from wounds to the face without degrading range of motion or mobility. The system will monitor the degradation of a Soldier’s ability to continue operations and will record exposure to blast events (e.g., improvised explosive devices, vehicles explosions). The HGS development effort will mature, evaluate, integrate, and demonstrate technologies for improved system performance in the areas of ballistic and impact protection, hearing protection and hearing enhancement, video displays, audio and communications systems, training sensors, and CBRN capabilities, with the overarching goal of improving comfort and combat-effectiveness. The projected completion date for this initiative is FY12.
Individual Body ArmorPEO Soldier is working toward the goal of body armor weight reduction using advanced fibers, improved ceramics, and optimized integration techniques for body armors. This effort will leverage the Modular Body Armor Platform Design and incorporate a review of the ANSUR II Anthropometric Model to re-evaluate the fifth to ninety-fifth percentile area of coverage requirements. Another major initiative is to develop advanced, low-cost technology for Smart Armor that has embedded microsensors for fast, reliable damage self-testing without using sophisticated instrumentation.
Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment Future Initiatives
Man Portable Desalination SystemProgram Executive Office (PEO) Soldier is coordinating with the Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center to develop the Man Portable Desalination System. A block initiative under the On-The-Move Hydration (OTMH) System, the system is a Small Business Innovative Research project (SBIR) A09-116 designed to provide the capability for individual Soldiers to convert salt water to fresh water. The requirements for the OTMH system are a total dry system weight (hydration system, water purification system, desalination system) of less than 2 pounds, a system flow rate no less than 200 ml/min, water quality in accordance to TB MED 577, and purified water production of no less than 45 liters before component replacement. The Man Portable Desalination System will also support the Individual Water Treatment Device (IWTD) requirement for expeditious and convenient hydration for Soldiers at will during the performance of mission-critical activities. The system will sustain the dismounted Soldier during continuous operations for at least 72 hours without supply replenishment. With Soldiers increasingly engaged in a spectrum of environments worldwide, the Man Portable Desalination System answers the critical need for an individual hydration system that supports the Soldier and lightens his equipment load.
Washable Wool ProductsPEO Soldier is coordinating with the Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center to develop a washable wool process. Flame resistant wool fabrics show promise for combat clothing applications but historically have been underutilized on the battlefield due to sustainment issues—many wool-based clothing articles shrink excessively when machine washed and dried, making them impractical for the battlefield. New innovative protective fabrics made from wool could be introduced, but there is no domestic source for washable wool treatments for fibers and fabrics. This new process will be 100 percent Berry Amendment compliant and will develop a textile treatment that reduces the shrinkage of wool, when commercially laundered, without detrimentally affecting other wool fiber properties such as strength and flame resistance. A shrink-resistant treatment would make wool a viable candidate for protective combat clothing and could be used in virtually any application from head to toe including jackets, trousers, underwear, headwear, hand wear, and socks. Unlike domestic synthetic fibers, wool is inherently flame resistant, moisture wicking, thermal resistant, anti-microbial, and durable. Wool products answer the critical need for a fabric that supports the Soldier’s comfort and protection in all environments and lightens his equipment load.
Individual Desalination System (IDS)Individual Desalination System (IDS): Block 2 of the Individual Water Treatment Device (IWTD) will allow the Soldier to desalinate salt water hands free and on the move. The IDS will be compatible with current and future personal hydration systems, the Block 1 IWTD, and Soldier load-carriage equipment. The technology and configuration of the IDS has not been determined, although it must have a volume of <100 cubic inches and weight of <2.5 pounds while providing fresh water on demand (>/= 200 mL/min) from salt water without the use of sugar substances by removing 98 percent of the salt in the incoming water.
Soldier Precision Targeting Devices Future Initiatives
Air Warrior Future Initiatives
Ground Soldier Future Initiatives
Soldier Planning Interfaces and Networked ElectronicsThis effort will mature and demonstrate technologies for improved mobility, information management, and lethality through a Government-developed, on-Soldier, modular open systems architecture for electronic components and software that incorporates a wireless (National Security Agency [NSA]-certified) Personal Area Network (PAN) subsystem for Small Combat Unit (SCU) commanders and Soldiers.
The wireless PAN subsystem protocol will be compatible with emerging on-Soldier electronic subsystems and will not interfere with current and future tactical radio systems. The system will define and enable interoperability with current and future Battle Command and tactical radio systems and networks. The on-Soldier wireless PAN subsystem will allow the optimized layout of hardware components and interface sets to allow Soldiers the ability to add or remove mission-specific gear to address Mission, Enemy, Time, Terrain, and Civilians (METT-C) and Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C) constraints. The on-Soldier optimized Battle Command software will reduce the time and human intervention required for a coordinated and synchronized situational awareness (SA) and attack on-time sensitive/fleeting targets by a Future Force (FF) small unit. The effort will leverage emerging hardware from the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) handheld, manpack, and small form-fit (HMS) family of radios and utilize the JTRS JPEO approved Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW) to serve as the transport layer that provides network connectivity to the tactical Internet for the SCUs. Through consolidation of on-Soldier electronics, Soldier-centric control interfaces, and open-architecture software services, this effort will leverage multiple Government and contractor technologies to achieve capabilities relating to User Defined Operating Picture and information management and networking software packages down to the Leader and Squad level. The effort will demonstrate an “echelon-centric software suite” to provide Soldier-defined operational picture and semi-automated machine-to-machine data exchange with a reliable Soldier-in-the-loop targeting and SA reporting system. The Instant-On system capability will be realized through power-aware software, hardware and network technologies to maximize the on-Soldier power subsystem. Demonstrations in FY11 will measure the mobility, information management, and targeting effects using role-based applications for small unit commanders and Soldiers.
Tactical Communication and Protective System (TCAPS) TCAPS began as an initiative under the Soldier Enhancement Program (SEP) within PEO Soldier. Now it has taken its own direction in becoming an ACAT III program, providing Soldiers with an improved environmental enabled communication capability that interfaces with current army radios. TCAPS gives Soldiers access to communication and radio systems in a noisy environment and provides hearing protection from both steady state and impulse noise. This technological advance allows the Soldier to maintain the ability to locate and detect opposing forces and to facilitate face-to-face communication. TCAPS is compatible with existing Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment (OCIE) and radio equipment. TCAPS supports all Military Occupational Specialties (MOSs) by providing enhanced capabilities and improvements that meet the Soldier’s requirements of hearing protection and communications (environmental and radio). Soldiers must use all of their senses to survive and perform on the modern battlefield. They use their hearing to detect, locate, and recognize the enemy and threat activities often when there are no other indicators of enemy presence and location.
Combat veterans value hearing as a 360-degree warning, whereas vision is acknowledged as slightly more than 180 degrees. Face-to-face communications while conducting a variety of missions (e.g., day and night recon, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosives, defensive operations) in a multitude environment (night, noisy, close quarters, etc.) is often critical for mission success. At times noise presents a significant obstacle to operational success. Subterranean environments and operations on urban and complex terrain are particularly hazardous to hearing. In such scenarios, it is crucial that subtle sounds be heard through the use of an enhanced hearing capability that will also protect the Soldier’s hearing. TCAPS fills this operational gap by allowing Soldiers to hear sounds at enhanced levels with better clarity while reducing or removing exposure to hazardous impulse noise and blast overpressure.
The requirement for the TCAPS program is currently in Army staffing. Over the past year, commercial candidates have been tested by TCAPS for field application; some are currently being used by Product Manager Ground Soldier. The Land Warrior system that is being fielded through Operational Needs Statements deploys with one of the systems, and the Nett Warrior system uses two of the systems as they undergo testing.
Mounted Soldier System Future Initiatives
Individual Weapons Future Initiatives
The Dual Path Strategy for the Next Generation of Army Service Rifles
Program Executive Office Soldier is currently pursuing a “dual path” strategy that will result in significant changes to the one system that is critical to all Soldiers—their standard issue service rifle. The dual path approach consists of the continuous improvement program for the M4 Carbine, paired with a full and open carbine competition. The results of these two efforts will provide Soldiers with enhanced battle rifles that are even more effective, reliable and accurate than the current fleet of 1.1 million M16/M4 weapon systems.
The intent of the dual path strategy is to allow the Army to continue its practice of upgrading the combat-proven M4 while simultaneously challenging industry to develop the next generation carbine. With nearly 500,000 M4s in the Army inventory, it is critical to strengthen the M4 platform while the Army invests the time necessary to properly develop, test and field a new weapon system. The Army has already made more than 60 refinements to the current M4 Carbine since its introduction and, not surprisingly, 94 percent of Soldiers rate the M4 as an effective weapon system in post-combat surveys.
M4 ImprovementsThe first path is the improvement plan for the M4, which is broken into three phases. For Phase I, the Army will purchase 25,000 improved M4A1 Carbines with ambidextrous fire control assemblies (FCA) and issue solicitations for kits to convert up to 65,000 fielded M4s into M4A1s with new FCAs. Compared to the M4, the M4A1 has a heavier barrel and is fully automatic, improvements that deliver greater sustained rates of fire. Phase II improvements will compete forward rail assemblies, bolts and bolt carrier assemblies to increase accessory integration while enhancing durability. Phase III will evaluate commercially available operating systems against the performance of the M4’s current gas impingement system.
| Carbine CompetitionThe second path is the carbine competition, which has been directed by the Secretary of the Army. In support of this directive, the Army has developed a new requirements document and has set aside funds to search for a new carbine that can outperform the current M16 and M4 series weapon systems. The new carbine will provide improved features such as fully ambidextrous controls, semi- and full-automatic fire, and accurate and reliable firepower. In addition, integrated rails will accept accessories that currently attach to MIL-STD 1913 rails. The new carbine will be capable of firing the family of U.S. Standard Type Classified rounds or nonstandard ammunition provided that any new caliber will provide for an ammunition family with the same capabilities as the current 5.56mm family of ammunition. View the Carbine Competition Fact Sheet |  |
The U.S. Army is currently adopting requirements for the Modular Handgun System (MHS) that will initiate a handgun competition to replace the M9 Pistol. The requirement for the new pistol originated with the Air Force and has previously received Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) validation. The Army requires the MHS to be more effective, accurate, and reliable than the M9 Pistol, which has been the Army’s standard sidearm since 1986.
The MHS requirement calls for a non-caliber specific weapon with modular features to allow for the adaption of different fire control devices, pistol grips, and alternate magazine options. The weapon will fit various hand sizes and will mount targeting enablers using MIL-STD-1913 rails. The new weapon will incorporate detection avoidance by having a non-reflective neutral color and will be operable with a sound and flash suppression kit in place.
The MHS Program will select a commercial off-the-shelf handgun in FY11–12. Testing will be completed by FY13 and Type Classification is expected in FY14. The MHS will replace the M9 Pistol on a one-for-one basis.
Crew Served Weapons Future Initiatives
Protector Lite Static Platform System
With thousands of CROWS systems delivering enhanced capability, lethality, and Soldier protection in theater, Soldiers have begun to look for more ways to leverage remote weapons station (RWS) technology. In particular, Soldiers began submitting requests through the Rapid Equipping Force (REF) for a quick turnaround RWS solution that would enable them to conduct surveillance and engage threats from inside the protection of guard towers.
To meet this demand, engineers at the Armament, Research Development & Engineering Center (ARDEC) at Picatinny Arsenal have begun working to retrofit an earlier CROWS variant known as the “Protector Lite.” The Protector Lite Static Platform System will be designed to provide Soldiers the ability to accurately engage the enemy with either M240B or M249 machine guns from elevated positions out to a range of 500-1,000 meters. The systems also come with daytime video and thermal surveillance cameras.
ARDEC engineers are designing the Protector Lite Static Platform System so that it can be universally mounted to a wide variety of guard tower designs. The units will also be self-sufficient, with organic mount adapters, generators, and power supplies.
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