Future Force Warrior (FFW) Technology
Demonstration
U.S. Army Natick Soldier Center
Lead integrator: General Dynamics C4
According to Carol Fitzgerald, program manager for the FFW Advanced
Technology Demonstration, FFW is spiraling mature components to enhance
the Program Executive Office Soldier's Land Warrior system, designed for
Stryker and current force interoperability.
"FFW will transition to the PEO Soldier in fiscal year 2008 to support
the Army Requirements Oversight Council-approved Ground Soldier System –
the next version of Land Warrior, which supports Future Combat Systems
and future force interoperability," she said.
FFW Systems participated in the experimentation of the C4ISR On-the-Move
(OTM) program, run by the U.S. Army Communications - Electronics
Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) leveraging an
important Army field experimentation venue to assess multiple
developmental technologies addressing future force network integration,
including FFW.
"The primary objective for FFW in this year's C4ISR OTM event was to
demonstrate and confirm Soldier/SCU interoperability with the Army's
Future Force communication network and the integration of the Soldier
Radio Waveform into our FFW system." says Fitzgerald "We were able to
accomplish this goal, while also running our system alongside the Future
Force prototype and surrogate systems, fully integrated into the battle
network of the exercise. This network interoperability allows soldiers
to transmit voice and data, both with each other and with other units,
greatly enhancing the situational awareness and combat effectiveness of
our soldiers at a time when it is most needed."
"FFW participation in this major Army experimentation venue helps the
Future Combat Systems program address their risks of dismounted Soldier
integration into FCS," said Fitzgerald. "The FFW ATD is scheduled to
conclude at the end of 2007, with participation in C4ISR OTM 07 and Air
Assault Expeditionary Force/Spiral D serving as the culminating events."
At the C4ISR OTM held in August 2006 at Ft. Dix, the FFW program successfully demonstrated network interoperability of the
Soldier/small combat unit with the future force network. The FFW
Technology Program Office delivered early prototypes of the "Increment
2" design, enabling risk reduction of the system that will continue to
be enhanced throughout the remainder of the program.
The FFW Increment 1 capabilities demonstrated included: Small Combat
Unit integration into the future force network via the Soldier Radio
Waveform; demonstration of the Soldier Protective Individual Equipment
System, an advanced body armor and load carriage system; demonstration
of cooperative engagement/networked fires using digital target handoff
and Non Line of Sight fire; demonstration of headgear thermal and
Image-Intensification sensor fusion; demonstration of system voice
control; and simulation of physiological status monitoring.
FFW Subsystems Demonstrated
As part of the test, the FFW lethality system was tested, utilizing a
modified XM-104 fire control system that allows the SCU to conduct a
"cooperative engagement" by sending target information from other
soldiers to the grenadiers in near-real time and by using this
information to ensure accurate aiming of the weapon. Also demonstrated
was the FFW integrated combat ensemble, integrating the LW computer,
navigation, power and soldier controls along with multiple software
applications critical to advancing combat effectiveness. The combat
ensemble also includes the new FFW integrated headgear system, which
provides ballistic protection, integrated communications, sensor fusion
and an advanced drop down eyepiece display providing the soldiers with
maps, soldier and enemy positions, targets, mission plans and memory
joggers.
Continued Development Outlined
FFW early Increment 2 capabilities were also demonstrated at the OTM
program. These included: demonstration of Leader level Command and Control via
FalconView (leveraged from the Air Force), system voice control,
integrated Class I Unmanned Aerial Vehicle imagery, look-down display
integrated into combat goggles, and advanced power management devices to
extend mission duration; demonstration of Soldier level Situational
Awareness leveraged from CERDEC's Command and Control Mobile Intelligent
Net-Centric Computing System program; Warrior Physiological Status
Monitoring; and deeper integration of electronics into the FFW combat
ensemble. Increment 2 is now underway with continued integration of
advanced Soldier/SCU capabilities and will be demonstrated via combat
exercises at the Air Assault Expeditionary Force (AAEF) Spiral C venue
at Ft. Benning, Ga., this fall. |
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Armored Fighting Vehicles