Weapons: Making the right call for artillery fire support | ADM July 2009
Tom Muir | Canberra
The task of the FO/TAC may include the simultaneous coordination and execution of multiple fire missions with different fire units and the ability to call in and direct combat air support (CAS) as well as naval surface fire support (NSFS).
But this article is not about these highly trained and skilled ADF personnel, a number now serving with the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan, whose often dangerous role as forward observers makes them in turn a special target of insurgents.
It is about new equipment sought under that other aspect of Land 17's BMS-Fires, for which AFATDS was selected for the C2 component.
That is the Forward Observer requirement, later transferred to Land 146 Phase 2, Combat ID for Land Forces, as a specialist BMS for the digital terminal control of Joint Fires (Artillery, NSFS and CAS) by Artillery Forward Observers and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers.
The scope was transferred to Land 146 Phase 2 due to the requirement to be able to uniquely identify enemy, unknown and friendly units.
According to the original ITR the (indicative) requirement was for up to 107 sets of FO/Tactical Air Control (TAC) equipment including appropriate artillery fire mission, offensive air support and naval surface fire support software operating on a military rugged tablet (MRT) computer.
Supporting the management system will be a video capture device (L-3's ROVER 4), tripod and angulation head, digital combat radio (PRC-117) with VMF, laser rangefinder (LRF), laser target designator (LD), batteries and a backpack.
The ROVER 4 Receiver is a portable receive-only terminal that displays sensor data from multiple airborne platforms.
Supports Ku-band Digital, C-band Digital, C-band Analog, S-band Analog, and L-band Analog signals.
The LRF will incorporate thermal night vision and optical magnification to enable targets to be detected at least 5kms (day) and 800m (night), and range determined to at least 10kms.
As one might imagine from its provision of accurate targeting data for offensive fire support across the land, sea and air domains, the FO system chosen will involve a number of integration tasks.
It must be fully integrated with the artillery fire control systems (FCS) of both the M777A2 LWT and the yet to be selected SPH 155mm, and must also be fully integrated with AFATDS and other components of the ADF's network centric system.
It must also interface with Land 200's Battle Management System (for which Elbit Systems has been provisionally selected) to receive friendly force location and tracking, identification of enemy locations, and all-arms call for fire.
Assuming Elbit goes to contract, their Land 200 BMS software is required to automatically update positional information (eg friendly, enemy) upon receipt of position (location) reports, displaying these on the COP.
Such positional information will be provided by whatever Blue Force Situational Awareness (BFSA) capability is available, when the new battle management systems are introduced into service.
This will almost certainly be a Joint Blue Force Awareness System (JBFSA) introduced into service via Land 75 with help from Northrop Grumman, and integrated with strategic C2 systems.
It is understood that a mature Joint Blue Force Situational Awareness capability for Defence is likely to be a major capital project requirement for inclusion in the next Defence Capability Plan.
Special Forces
FO/TAC capability
The ADF's current FO/TAC capability with the SASR comprises a Thales Optronics Sophie MF thermal camera integrated with an LTM-91 Laser Target Marker, and the AN/TPQ-36 Weapon Locating Radar (about to be updated) with outputs reported over a voice network using the Harris AN/PRC 117 F multi-band single channel CNR, and ROVER systems acquired under rapid acquisition for eyes-on-the-target capability.
As previously noted the PRC-117, in wide service with SASR, has a digital bearer capability and has waveform compatibility with RAAF and Navy radio systems.
It is used to call for fires and air support operations, often cued from the air picture/video provided by ROVER from some ADF but mainly from Coalition targeting pods on fixed and rotary wing aircraft and UAVs.
ADM originally surmised that there were two forward observer systems that appeared to match the Land 17 FO requirements.
They were the Stauder Technologies StrikeLink target laser designation and handoff system, and the Rockwell Collins FO Rosetta-based system.
Now that ADM understands that Elbit's US-based subsidiary, Elbit Systems US-based C4I Solutions, has offered a system that is also being evaluated as a potential contender for this requirement.
ADM is not privy to the evaluation process that has been underway, but with Second Pass anticipated later this year, ADM would assume that following successful demonstrations of equipment, restricted RFTs may be issued to one or all of the contenders, or a sole source arrangement entered into with a preferred supplier.
StrikeLink is the software component of the target location, designation, and hand-off systems (TLDHS) employed by USMC forward observers. The system provides
the FO with the ability to quickly
acquire targets in day, night and near all-weather visibility conditions.
It can then precisely determine operator location as well as that of their targets, then digitally transmit secure data to multiple supporting arms elements.
Of particular interest to the Land 17 IPT is that it is fully integrated with AFATDS (C2, COP/Artillery & Naval Fires) and with F/A-18.
Strikelink supports a range of targeting systems including the laser range finders currently in ADF use, and radios including AN/PRC-117 (Harris), AN/PRC-119 (ITT Industries), PSC-5 (Raytheon) and later, AN/PRC-148 (Thales MBITR).
Product improvements include supportability for Naval Fires Control System (NFCS), Link 16 interoperability, image transfer, cursor on target and rotary combat air support.
StrikeLink can determine operator location as well as that of their targets, then digitally transmit secure data to multiple supporting arms elements.
StrikeLink supports the CAS mission with AV-8s, F-16s, and F/A-18s, as well as artillery missions with AFATDS and NFCS naval gunfire missions.
The Forward Air Controller and Forward Observer (FAC/FO) system is from the Rockwell Collins Rosetta Technologies suite, comprising new lightweight, fully integrated digital hardware and software.
At the heart of the system is a tablet computer that hosts the Rockwell Collins Rosetta Joint Fires (RJF) software package, providing targeting and communications capabilities.
In mid-2007 Rockwell Collins received an $18 million contract from the UK MoD to provide a suite of products for the next generation FAC/FO system.
At the heart of the system is a tablet computer that hosts the Rockwell Collins Rosetta Joint Fires (RJF) software package, providing targeting and communication capabilities and an important gateway for future systems.
The system also includes the Rockwell Collins Defense
Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR) and other system ancillaries.
The UK program provides a significant advance in UK MoD FAC/FO capabilities and gives users a fully-digitised system, enabling the British FACs to exchange 9- or 15-line FAC targeting messages with all US aircraft, as well as an increasing number of coalition forces.
While Elbit's Australian representatives are reluctant to talk, ADM believes the Elbit UIDM V2 is being offered for this requirement.
This is a two-channel stand-alone tactical router designed for ground and air systems with an ethernet interface.
When coupled with a radio, it sends interoperable digital data information to a variety of military assets and enables the sharing of accurate and timely information.
Its uses include both CAS and JTAC and provides a Blue Force Tracker (BFT) gateway.
Along with the C2 system ADM expects Elbit would be offering a dual FOV Thermal Imaging camera, CORAL-CR, which supports target acquisition capabilities by determining self positioning and detected target position.
These capabilities are achieved by a laser range finder, a digital compass and a GPS which are mounted and boresighted together with the FLIR.
Combined with the new PLDR, a lightweight laser designator developed at ElOp, observation and target acquisition systems become target designators - the most critical element in the kill chain Elbit says.
Weighing only 5.5 kg the PLDR can be attached to almost any target acquisition kit.
This targeting system can designate targets to ranges up to 10 km.
It would seem that Elbit's approach to combining and miniaturising target location, designation and digital terminal control devices may well be a harbinger of things to come.
Future targeting systems
The US DoD has made headway in its development of the Joint Effects Targeting System (JETS). JETS is a joint initiative to develop a common man-portable target locator/designator suite for FOs and FOCs.
A single handheld targeting system, JETS is designed to replace the more than 20 stovepiped, non-interoperable systems for ground observers/controllers across US and Coalition users in the MEAO.
As precursors, the DoD Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program has released solicitations for JETS relevant capabilities such as precision gyroscopes for gyro-compassing in man-portable target locator systems.
JETS is scheduled to begin production in FY12.