Infantry Systems

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. has demonstrated the SPIKE SR Short Range guided missile at the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) 2021 earlier this month. The demonstration assessed SPIKE SR as a precision munition system for infantry squads, for which portability and simplicity of operation are essential.

The Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) has completed a successful firing of Rafael's SPIKE LR missiles in a demonstration in Slovenia, December 2020. During the demonstration, the Slovenian Army also fired SPIKE missiles using the new dismounted digital SPIKE launcher ICLU. Both launchers includes a provision for the use of the more advanced SPIKE LR2.

Modern software-defined radios offering virtually unlimited bandwidth enable the warfighter to determine position, navigation, and timing without the support of GPS, opens unprecedented opportunities for joint fires, employing RAFAEL's 'FIRE WEAVER' battle command capabilities as seen here at a battalion-level exercise held last year. Connecting the dismounted teams with all sensors and effectors assigned to the operation, FIRE WEAVER can immediately address every target and call for fire assigning the most suitable and available weapon, within the availability, operational parameters, rules of engagement, and legal restrictions. With this capability FIRE WEAVER supports the dismounted squad, far beyond the organic weapons that members carry with them.

RAFAEL’s INDOOR autonomous surveillance capability is taking this capability to a new level, by enabling a group of unmanned systems to map and inspect indoor spaces, enabling warfighters to explore structures suspected to be occupied by the adversary, without exposing humans to the dangerous house clearing and Close Quarters Battle (CQB).

General Robotics brings the new Dogo Mk II tactical robot to DSEI 2019. The new robot is designed to assist SWAT teams and close-quarters combat, inside buildings and underground, The new version features a faster Point & Shoot interface, enabling accurate designation of lethal or non-lethal means simply by clicking on the screen.

The German Federal Ministry of Defense (MOD) has selected Telefunken Radio Communications Systems (RACOMS), to equip its infantry units with the PNR1000 advanced soldier radio, part of Elbit Systems’ E-Lynx family of Software Defined Radios (SDR). The new radios will be used at the platoon and company levels

Analysis: Elbit Systems of America, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems and the Harris Corporation have agreed to move forward with the acquisition of Harris’ Night Vision business for $350 million. The acquisition of Harris' night vision business opens a huge market for Elbit Systems, both domestic and international. Over 50 years Harris and its predecessors Exelis and ITT have established their night vision systems as the market leader. But with the planned merger between Harris and L3 Technologies, Inc., the night vision systems business becomes redundant under the combined portfolio.

Rheinmetall Mission Master UGV (MMUGV) uses the 8x8 Avenger manufactured by Argo of Canada as a wheeled platform, designed to support troops on dismounted operations, providing logistic transport, surveillance, protection, medical evacuation, fire suppression, CBRN detection, and communication relay.

The Raytheon Company and Swedish aerospace and defense firm Saab are developing a guided munition for the Carl-Gustaf man-portable, shoulder-launched weapon system under a U.S. Army contract. The munition answers a U.S. Special Operations Command requirement to increase the capability of the multirole Carl-Gustaf weapon system. It is intended to enable ground troops to engage multiple targets precisely at distances up to 2,000 meters, including moving targets.

An adaptive camouflage developed in Russia could be used in the future to better blend vehicles and soldiers in the environment. Operating like a Chameleon, the new camouflage is able to mimic the color of the environment.

Australia selected the Israeli Spike LR2 multi-purpose guided missile to equip the new Boxer Combat Reconnaissance vehicles procured from Rheinmetall Defense under an A$2.1 billion Under project Land 400 Phase 2 contract. Australia is the second user to select the new LR2 version of the missile, following the Israel Defense Forces that placed an order for 2,000 in 2017.

The Canadian Armed Forces have exercised options under the Integrated Soldier System Project (ISSP) to procure an additional 1,256 Rheinmetall Argus soldier systems, which will be delivered next year. This order is worth CAD22 million (€14.3 million)

Engineers are working diligently to reduce the weight Marines and soldiers carry in action, but engineers at the U.S. Army Research lab took a different approach - adding limbs to improve soldier lethality. Called the 'Third Arm', the device helps to reduce the weapon's weight off of the Soldiers' arms and better distribute it through the skeleton. Called the 'Third Arm', the 1.8 kg device helps to reduce the weapon's weight off of the Soldiers' arms and better distribute it through the skeleton.

The Australian Army is now the biggest user of Nano UAS in the world. It is also the first in the world to proliferate this technology to the conventional forces down to combat platoon level