Night Vision Systems - Eng Dev

Abstract

This program element provides night vision/reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition technologies required for U. S. defense forces to engage enemy forces twenty-four hours a day under conditions of degraded visibility due to darkness, adverse weather, battlefield obscurants, foliage and man-made structures. These developments and improvements to high performance night vision electro-optics, radar, laser, and thermal systems and integration of related multi-sensor suites will enable near to long range target acquisition, identification and engagement to include significant fratricide reduction, which will improve battlefield command and control in "around-the-clock" combat operations. Project EQ9 focuses on a kit of electronic devices that acquires, collects, and transmits data to provide near real time feedback in order to validate, follow, locate, or track a target (i.e., tagging, tracking, and locating (TTL)). Using electronic audio and/or video recorders, information obtained will validate movement and identify targets. In addition, threat monitoring can be integrated into existing operational tools, help to paint a clearer picture of the battlefield, pinpoint possible target locations, and identify and exploit enemy movements and patterns. CATR has been fielded since 2005 as a Quick Reaction Capability (QRC) program. Project L67 develops, improves and miniaturizes high performance night vision electro-optics, thermal and laser systems. It also provides for systems integration of related multi-sensor suites to enable near to long-range target acquisition and engagement as well as improved battlefield command and control in around-the-clock combat operations. It focuses on adapting demonstrated technologies that bring improvements to the dismounted Soldiers' equipment. This project develops or enhances equipment that provides the individual Soldier's day/night situational awareness and individual targeting capability, sniper fire detection and location capability, and integrates improved target location and self-location capability to eliminate friendly fire incidents. Includes associated with efforts for integration and interface of products on Soldiers' head, body, and weapons. Project L70 focuses on night vision, reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA) sensor and suites of sensors to provide well-defined surveillance and targeting capabilities for a variety of Current, Modular, and Future Force platforms. This project includes: 3rd Generation Forward Looking Infra-Red (3GEN FLIR) B-Kit development activities, the 3GEN Long Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3) Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) to integrate 3GEN FLIR B-Kit,and the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology ASA(ALT) Common Operating Environment (COE) effort to meet sensor interoperability requirements and improve the soldier-machine interface of the Program of Record (POR). Project L75 focuses on development of Profiler Block enhanced capabilities for meteorological (MET) measurement sensors and data. Improvements have reduced the footprint (less soldiers/vehicles) and complexity of the system, improved performance (accuracy), improved survivability, connectivity, no balloon sensor, multiple initialization data, and terrain visualization. The improved MET message data will increase lethality by enabling artillery a greater probability of first round hit with indirect fire systems. Profiler Block III provides a networked laptop configuration while further reducing the system's logistics footprint with the elimination of the High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) mounted shelter and trailer located in the Tactical Operations Center (TOC). The Profiler Virtual Module (PVM), a product improvement to the Block III, concept includes the following updates: update of weather model; update of software architecture removing legacy Block I code and creating a modular framework; development in conjunction with the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) program including AFATDS version II, to provide increased interoperability and usability; and to enable operation of the Profiler system in a virtual machine for use in the Common Operating Environment (COE) versions 2,3,4,and 5. This concept is a flexible approach that supports use of existing Block III hardware, increased accuracy during technical refresh of hardware with higher performance computers, and virtualization on the Command Post Computing Environment (CP CE) server. Project L76 matures technologies and capabilities which benefit the Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder (LLDR, AN/PED-1, AN/PED-1A, and AN/PED-1B), Joint Effects Targeting System (JETS), and other precision targeting systems. These precision targeting and next generation systems are used by dismounted Soldiers to locate, identify, and target enemy assets. This project focuses on reducing weight, improving imaging performance, and increasing targeting accuracy. Targeting accuracy improvements will focus on developing and integrating affordable, non-magnetic, high accuracy, full-time (24/7), and all weather Azimuth and Vertical Angle Measurement (AVAM) devices, with reduced size, weight and power characteristics into the LLDR system. Long term goals include improving current celestial navigation systems to increase operational availability, developing precision targeting capabilities that will operate in a Global Positioning System (GPS) denied environment, and integration of M-Code GPS (next generation GPS) receivers into LLDR and JETS, when available. Project L79 focuses on the Joint Effects Targeting System (JETS). JETS is an Army program with joint information (Air Force and Marine Corps). JETS will meet the one-man, hand-held precision targeting gap identified by the Fire Center of Excellence (FCOE). JETS is a light-weight, handheld system that will provide the single dismounted observer and Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) with a common, enhanced day and night thermal capability to rapidly acquire, accurately locate, positively identify, and precisely designate targets. JETS Target Location and Designation System (TLDS) will be able to interface with existing and future Service Forward Entry Systems (FESs). After initiating JETS TLDS production, this project will address continued development and integration of improved precision targeting components to reduce size, weight, power, and cost of the system, to address operation in environments where GPS is denied, and to integrate M-code GPS receivers when they become available.

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2017
Source ID
0604710A_5_2040_PB_2017
Change Summary Explanation
Fiscal Year 2017: Program increases of $6.187 million to Project L67 for Soldier Night Vision Devices, $7.265 million for L70 Night Vision Dev Ed, and $0.586 million to EQ9 for CATR evaluation and testing of new technology. Program decreases of -$0.286 million to L79 Joint Effects Targeting Systems (JETS), -$0.269 million to L76 Dismounted Fire Support Laser Targeting Systems, and -$0.244 million to L75 Profiler.
Service Agency Name
Army

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artillery
  • Celestial Navigation
  • Combat Operations
  • Command And Control
  • Electro-Optics
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Howitzers
  • Indirect Fire
  • Inertial Measurement Units
  • Laser Target Designators
  • Measurement
  • Navigation
  • Night Vision Devices
  • Organic Light Emitting Diodes
  • Range Finders
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.
  • Sensor Fusion and Tracking Systems.
  • Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems
  • Space

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