FCS Technologies Put to the Test by U.S. Army

FCS Technologies Put to the Test by U.S. Army (NSI News Source Info) 12 August, 2008: Two-foot long vertical takeoff UAVs, 30-pound tactical robots equipped with infrared cameras, and groups of small, static ground sensors all sent battlefield images in real time through a high-bandwidth network from a mock-combat village set up near Fort Bliss, Texas, to U.S. Army Future Combat Systems (FCS)-networked Humvees several hundred yards away. A recent live exercise near Fort Bliss, Texas, was the first time FCS technologies were tested with infantry brigade combat teams in tactical, combat-like scenarios. (Army) It was a significant step for the FCS network, which used software-programmable Joint Tactical Radio Systems (JTRS), high-bandwidth Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW) and next-generation FCS computer technology to move images and information with greater effect than previously demonstrated, said Brig. Gen. James Terry, Director Future Force Integration Directorate, Fort Bliss. The July 27-31 live exercise, called a Preliminary Limited User Test, was the first time FCS technologies were put to the test with infantry brigade combat teams in tactical, combat-like scenarios. "Battlefield commanders [in the test] were able to use this equipment in live, evolving scenarios," said Paul Mehney, an FCS spokesman. Prior to this test, FCS was able to demonstrate moving images with SRW between FCS-networked vehicles and Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS) placed in static positions on the battlefield to beam back images of enemy activity. However, in recent months the FCS program has been able to add the Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) UAV and the Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) robot to the high bandwidth Soldier Radio Waveform network, enable them to send real-time images as well. The aim of the July test was to examine the emerging FCS network's ability to detect and destroy enemy snipers, paramilitary threats, and vehicle-borne IEDs along with other fast-moving insurgent targets, in part by sharing information across a networked force. At the same time, the networked sensors were also tested to identify areas of civilian activity on the battlefield and thereby reduce collateral damage in an urban environment where insurgents are known to deliberately blend in with the local population. "They had a platoon-level force coordinate search operations of a village. They sent the SUGV into a building, first in a fairly densely populated civilian area. They were able to then use that sensor data to advise a platoon as to which buildings to work through. They did find resistance in one of the buildings," Mehney said. "All sensors platforms using SRW were able to send image information to JTRS GMR [Ground Mobile Radio] in the B-bits, so scouts in the Humvees were able to better direct tactical operations," he said. The FCS spinout technologies, which include the Micro Air Vehicle UAV, Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle tactical robot, Tactical and Urban Unattended Ground Sensors, Non-Line-of-Sight Launch System (NLOS-LS), FCS-networked vehicles (B-kits) and the first increment of the FCS network, are slated to field with Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs) by 2011. The test was the first major FCS exercise since the Army's June decision to field FCS technologies with IBCTs instead of the previously planned Heavy Brigade Combat Teams. The B-kits include early versions of FCS software, computers and battle command technologies outfitted on current force vehicles such as Humvees, Bradleys and Abrams tanks; the gear, used on Humvees in the test, includes the FCS computer called Integrated Computer System (ICS), a middle-ware operating system called System of Systems Common Operating Environment (SOSCOE), JTRS Ground Mobile Radio (GMR) and Force Battle Command Brigade-and-Below (FBCB2)/Blue-Force Tracking display screens. During the exercise, FCS computers in B-kit Humvees were able look at live images from nearby MAVs designed to hover and stare above potential enemy locations. "The B-kits, ICS and gateways associated with the sensors allow data to flow into the FBCB2 displays. If you are looking at the controller for the MAV, you will see exactly what the MAV sees. That allows you to send frames and populate the FBCB2 screen with some pretty good granularity," said Terry. Future FCS capabilities As more lines of software code for the FCS network are finished and SOSCOE further evolves, B-kit and FCS vehicles will be able to display much larger amounts of information such as full-motion, real-time video from nearby UAVs. "The SOSCOE we are using is one that has been made for the spinouts but will have a larger capability in the future. The battle command applications are tailored to spinout one, but they are a subset of what is being built for the larger program," he said. FCS also plans to field improved radios as they become available, such as JTRS Handheld Manpack Small Form Fit (HMS) radios for the UGS, SUGV and dismounted soldier. "We always want material developed faster. We are using pre-EDM [engineering design model] radios. We will move to prototype before we get to the fielding of the first IBCT," said Army Lt. Col. Ed House, Commander of the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, Army Evaluation Task Force. Along these lines, The Army is planning to integrate a communications apparatus for the dismounted soldier, Ground Soldier Ensemble (GSE), with the FCS network. GSE is slated to deploy alongside the FCS spinouts in 2011. "Ground Soldier Ensemble includes looking at an individual soldier radio probably with video and voice as a minimum and maybe some minor data capability. The whole thought is to have a low cost radio. It will draw lessons learned from Land Warrior. I don't know if it will be a direct next generation Land Warrior. We've made some adjustments to Land Warrior, and our acquisition strategy for GSE will build on lessons learned from Land Warrior," said Army Lt. Gen. Ross Thompson, military deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology. "Spinning out technologies to IBCTs also includes making GSE to be fielded to the same IBCTs on the same schedule as you field the FCS technologies. It is a package deal. The strategy is not just FCS but also Ground Soldier Ensemble because you got to enable the soldier because that is the most important piece of the overall operation," he said. Army more confident of funding Demonstrating FCS technologies in actual scenarios with soldiers is resonating with Pentagon leaders and lawmakers responsible for the program's budget, which has sustained numerous cuts in recent years. However, the FCS program's $3.6 billion budget request for 2009 has been receiving recent support in Congressional mark-ups; the House Appropriations Committee-Defense (HAC-D) fully supported the FCS budget request in recent budget mark-ups. In fact, the HAC-D added $33 million in funding for FCS to support the fielding of the spin-out technologies. "Over the last three years there have been marks against the FCS program, but so far not in 2009, which to me is an indication that the members Congress and the staffers are seeing the benefits of the program reflected by their support in the budget," said Thompson. "One of the reasons why there is a lot more support for FCS now because you are seeing it demonstrated in operational scenarios and you are seeing now that these systems are put in the hands of soldiers. Once you start doing that, soldiers are the best spokespeople for the capability and it is resonating with members of Congress who are seeing the benefits," he said. Bringing roughly 1,000 soldiers to Fort Bliss to stand up the Army Evaluation Task Force [AETF] has been key to the program's recent progress, Army officials said. "This whole thing with the AETF at Fort Bliss having today over 1,000 soldiers who are there to evaluate tactics, techniques and procedures and there to provide material feedback on the equipment - that is a huge investment on the part of the Army," said Thompson. "It is a smart move. I'd rather know as early as possible 'hey make this change to this system' as early as possible because it will be better for me in the field." Alongside the planned 2011 FCS spinout deployment timeline, the Army is taking steps to allow for the possibility that additional accelerations of FCS technology in years to come. In particular, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa. met with Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey earlier this year and indicated the possibility of Congressional support for adding as much as $20 billion to the overall lifetime budget of FCS. "Congressman Murtha gave us a challenge and I think it was good challenge. I think the Army responded to that challenge - which was 'enough of the development stuff, when am I going to see hardware, results and things being put into the hands of soldiers'? The Army, when it submits the FY2010 budget, will put the amount of resources into FCS to execute against the requirements documents that are there now," said Thompson. "It also has the resources that will enable us to get the spinouts to the IBCTs. The demonstrated success of that could require us to add more or it could engender Congressional interest in doing that."