Metal Matrix Composites (MMC) ceramic reinforced composites are already utilized for state of the art aerospace applications. MMC have demonstrated ballistic performance of lightweight ceramics, while approaching multi-hit capabilities of metal armor. High Performance Materials Group (HPMG) is developing various processing and applications of MMC armor, including combined light structures integrating MMC and metals, which could offer strength and ballistic protection at reduced weight, and weight reduction of MMC, by encapsulation of high performance ceramics.
Krasnopol, Kitolov Precision Guided Artillery Munition
Krasnopol (152/155mm) and Kitolov (122mm) projectiles are fired with standard propellant charges into a ballistic trajectory. At the peak, the nose cap is ejected, and the laser seeker begins to scan the ground for laser designated targets. Krasnopol / Kitolov munitions are stowed in two separate sections – control section and projectile. Both are connected before firing when it is prepared for a mission. The system is designed to enable multiple engagements of different rounds in a small area, using several designators, as well as salvo firing by different artillery pieces, engaging a single target, illuminated by a single laser designator.
The company is also offering a laser designator for the system, which is capable of targeting a large size object at a range of 20 km. A moving tank can be targeted at a range of 5 km, or 7 km, when it is stationary. The firing range of the Krasnopol weapon is 20km, Kitolov 2M can reach 12km. Hit probability of these munitions range from 0.7 – 0.9, depending on the specific engagement conditions.
Kevlar Polyethylene Fiber
KEVLAR® is an organic, para-aramid man-made fiber technology which combines high strength with light weight, and comfort with protection. This material is five times stronger than steel on an equal weight basis, which means that it can provide more lightweight, flexible and comfortable protection than steel armor. This material has high tensile strength at low weight, structural rigidity, toughness, high resistance to chemicals and fire.
MEADS Medium Extended Air Defense System
Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS), currently in development phase, will provide joint lower-tier air defense, missile defense and cruise missile defense for maneuver forces. As an international program shared by Germany, Italy and the United States, MEADS will introduce a mobile air defense system designed to replace Patriot systems in Germany and the United States, and Nike Hercules systems in Italy. MEADS incorporates the hit-to-kill PAC-3 Missile in a new system that includes surveillance and fire control sensors, battle management and communication centers and highly mobile lightweight launchers. The Patriot advanced capability-3 missile will serve as the initial interceptor. By the use of modern open architecture, the system will offer improved battlefield protection and flexibility, for the protection of maneuver forces as well as point defense and area defense, from tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and aircraft attacks.
MEADS includes a lightweight launcher, 360-degree fire control and surveillance radars and plug-and-fight battle management command and control abilities not found in current systems. MEADS will operate in an enclave with upper-tier systems in areas of debarkation and assembly. It will also provide continuous coverage alone or with forward-area air defense systems in the division area of the battlefield during movement to contact and decisive operations.
The system is developed by MEADS International, Inc. – a multinational joint venture headquartered in Orlando, FL, MEADS International’s participating companies are MBDA-Italia, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) and Lenkflugkorpersysteme (LFK) in Germany, and Lockheed Martin in the United States.
Missile de Combat Terrestre (MCT)
In 2002 The French MOD has expressed its requirements for ground combat missiles for the year 2015. The future family of missiles is considered as an integral part of the French Future Air-Ground Operational Forces project (also known as BOA). Responding to this requirement, as part of the MCT Technology Demonstrator Program (TDP), MBDA is developing a full capability indirect fire demonstrator.
The missile will be able to engage targets at a Non-Line Of Sight (NLOS) mode, where the missile’s seeker does not have to be aimed at the target before launch. Once the missile is in flight the operator will be able to designate the target using the images seen by the missile’s seeker and relayed back to the firing control unit. Development of the demonstrator will also rely on the European Modular Munitions cooperation between MBDA and Saab Bofors Dynamics, and is positioned to support future British, French and Swedish requirements. This program considers various configurations for future missile’s designs, including rocket powered medium (command Line Of Sight – CLOS), and long range versions with range of 8 km and turbo-jet powered extended range (air launched) missile with a maximum range of 100km. All variants will share common modules of the body, and missile’s systems architecture, utilizing common core “plug and play” elements such as imaging IIR or CCD seekers, multi-mode semi-active laser seeker and optional datalinks.
The warhead considered for the missile will be “multi-effect” warhead, making the weapon effective against a broad target set, including fortified constructions, bunkers, armored vehicles and soft targets. The warhead could be equipped with a programmable lethality package to create “scalable” effect, tailored for specific operating scenarios. The use of imaging sensors and advanced target recognition algorithms will enable the use of dynamic, autonomous targeting features, including aimpoint selection to maximize the effect on the specific target.
Multi-Curved Composites (MCT)
Multi-Curved Composites (MCT) – in production since 1999, the most common use of this concept is in the Interceptor lightweight body armor used by the US Army. MCT enables the production of net shaped components, produce from SiC or boron carbide composites, resulting in protection against multi-hit of 7.62 AP, 5.56 AP and even 12.7mm AP bullets. Another production method used by the company offers production of large (1,350 cm2) monolithic armor panels used mainly for vehicle protection. The Reaction Bonded Boron Carbide (RBBC-71) armor plate is designed to stop multiple hits from small arms (up to 12.7mm AP) impacting within a 15.2 cm diameter from each other.
M5 Modular Crowd Control Munition
The M5 MCCM is a non lethal rubber ball device housed in a casing similar to the Claymore mine. It will stop, confuse, disorient and/or temporarily incapacitate area targets or personnel at close range. This weapon is intended to be direct-fire, low-hazard device that will produce an anti-personnel non lethal effect on impact. It serves as a force multiplier, providing field commanders and soldiers with greater flexibility in the application of non lethal force and increasing their effectiveness during military operations.
H4855 Personal Role Radio (PRR)
The system uses Wireless LAN technology, transmitting 50mW over the 2.4GHz band, operating a CVSD voice codec over modified 802.11 data communications protocol, the system offers low-probability of interception and detection and is designed to perform in dense electromagnetic environment. The system supports both broadcast (commander to troops or a private conversation between two units) The PRR has an effective range of 500 meters in open terrain; communications can be established through up to three floors in urban environments.
The system uses an innovative Push to Talk (PTT) switch which controls single or dual radios. This apparatus enables leaders to control their PRR and combat net portable radio with the same headset and PTT. The wireless PTT can be placed on the weapon, allowing hands free operation. Each wireless PTT has a unique identity, enabling simultaneous operation of several users in close quarters. The PRR has only two controls – On/Off/Volume switch and a smaller channel selector, switching between 16 preset channels.
Each unit is provided with a specific group, selected from a total of 256 available channels.
The PRR is currently operational with the British and US Army and is procured by the US Army, Jordan, UAE, Italy, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Czech Republic and Republic of Central Africa. The system weighs 1.5 kg. It is powered by two AA 1.5 volt batteries which last for up to 20 hours of continuous operation. Systems are in operational service in the British Army since 2002 and were deployed to Bosnia and Afghanistan.
HDTV Helmet Mounted Display
The US Army Future Force Warrior (FFW) program will utilize an enhanced, see-through full-colour High Definition TeleVision (HDTV) quality CyberDisplay 1280 CF MVA miniature display, developed by Kopin Corp. Smaller than a postage stamp, the display measures 0.98-inch diagonal and provides a full-size, ultra-wide-angle HDTV-quality image. With 1280×1024 (x3) SXGA resolution, or nearly 4 million colour sub-pixels, the new micro-display will be the highest density colour display of such size in the world. The see-through eyepiece will display black background, high-contrast image, combined with the ultra-wide viewing angle, to display integrated images from thermal, visual as well as stored digital imaging and documents without interfering to the soldier’s daylight or night vision.
IMPAQT – Guided Artillery Munition
Bofors Defense, GIAT Industries, MBDA and QuinetiQ have teamed to develop a family of advanced gun-launched precision guided munitions for future battlefield applications under the UK MOD UFPA and French MPPA programs. Utilizing an advanced shell case and aerodynamic fins, built from composites, the new ammunition will offer considerable saving in weight and airframe durability. The QuinetiQ team offers two modular versions of artillery shells, designed for extended range, increased precision and payload capacity. The first generation IMPAQT Mk1 munition will carry a unitary blast fragmentation / penetrating warhead or two BONUS sensor fused munitions to ranges exceeding 60km, while the Mk 2 will carry three SFMs to ranges in excess of 100km and up to 150km, with the use of rocket assist. Both types are designed for use with standard 155mm tubes. The submunitions should provide hit accuracy of 10 m’ CEP (30m’when GPS navigation is denied).
Kill Assist Adverse Weather Targeting System (KAATS)
Another SAR aided guidance system developed by Boeing for the US Navy, uses target cueing based on Synthetic Aperture Radar/Ground Moving Target Indication (SAR/GMTI) imaging, which automatically extracts information for JDAM targeting. The information received from the airborne surveillance sensor, to continuously track mobile targets and send targeting cues via data-link, in real-time, to JDAM weapons after release, on their way to the target. The accuracy of such system is expected to be up to 1 meter CEP, considerably improved over standard GPS targeting.
IDF M-113 Upgrading Program
Remote Control Weapon Station -Israel Military Industries
At LIC-2004 Israel Military Industries unveiled a new design of a remotely controlled weapon station, designed for installation on armored vehicles, offering operation of observation, targeting and weapon systems from within the vehicle, taking advantage of the vehicle’s ballistic protection. The weapon station is designed as a compact, low-profile station which can carry 7.62mm (MAG or Negev) machine guns, 12.7mm (0.5″) Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) or 40mm M-19 Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGL). The weapon’s mounts are stabilized, therefore improving firing accuracy.
According to IMI, the modular design of the system enables the integration of systems to best suit the customer’s requirements. These can include customer furnished electro-optics and integration with external devices such as on-board or external target acquisition systems. The system uses an integral, modular optronic pod housing various types of electro-optical components, including day, night optics and target ranging and marking devices. The system is operated from a computer-driven remote control console where the operator monitors the sight display on the console, and sets zoom and aiming, to activate the weapon. The system is currently under development and is expected to be available for production with the delivery of upgraded M-113 L-VAS systems.
Miniature Aerial Vehicle MAV
DARPA is conducting an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) program to demonstrate the military application of a backpackable miniature UAV systems operable by an individual dismounted soldier. The program focuses on a miniature design, capable of vertical takeoff and landing, which will be optimize for operations in difficult and restricted environments such as an urban environment, operations in confined spaces; high concentrations of civilians, as well as in mountainous terrain and heavily forested areas. The current program also focused in the reconnaissance and surveillance applications of the system. One of the candidate systems is a scale-down version of the iSTAR system, developed by Allied Aerospace for the DARPA OAV program
Controp: Defining Clarity with End-to-End EO/IR Solutions
Founded in the late 1980s, Controp has evolved from a boutique electro-optical house to a global provider of integrated EO/IR solutions. Leveraging advanced optics, sophisticated stabilization, and AI-driven analytics, the company’s “Defining Clarity” ethos shapes a new era of defense capabilities, offering enhanced situational awareness for air, land, and maritime operations.
Controp: Defining Clarity with End-to-End EO/IR Solutions
Founded in the late 1980s, Controp has evolved from a boutique electro-optical house to a global provider of integrated EO/IR solutions. Leveraging advanced optics, sophisticated stabilization, and AI-driven analytics, the company’s “Defining Clarity” ethos shapes a new era of defense capabilities, offering enhanced situational awareness for air, land, and maritime operations.
Slovakia Acquires Israeli BARAK MX Air Defense Systems for €560 million
Representatives of the Israeli and Slovakian Defense ministries have Signed a 560 million Euro Agreement to deliver the Barak MX Integrated Air Defense System Produced by IAI. Barak MX and Barak 8 air defense systems are currently operational with several nations. The Slovakian acquisition is important in integrating the BARAK MX system into the NATO air defense network, which could pave the system’s entry into other Alliance members.
XTEND Defense Secures $8.8M Contract for AI-Driven Tactical Loitering Munitions
XTEND, an AI-driven drone technology expert, has been awarded an $8.8 million contract by the U.S. Department of Defense to supply VR-operated Precision Strike Indoor & Outdoor (PSIO) small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS), a first DoD-approved loitering munition platform for both indoor and outdoor operations. With cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI), these tactical drones deliver real-time, high-precision strikes, redefining smart munitions in modern warfare.
The PLA’s Global Power Play: A Deep Dive Into China’s Military Strategy and Ambitions
The US Department of Defense's annual report on Chinese military and security developments was presented to Congress today. In this post and podcast, we dissect the report, which isn't just another geopolitical overview. It’s...
Greece’s Land Forces to Get Switchblade Loitering Weapons and Advanced Rocket Launchers
Greece is actively modernizing its military capabilities with two significant procurements. Firstly, the Government Council for Foreign and Defense Affairs, known as KYSEA, has approved the purchase of approximately 590 U.S.-made Switchblade loitering munitions,...
Weekly News Summary – Week Ended 15 December 2024
Preparing to continue our weekly review, we are utilizing AI systems to organize, process, and present a weekly news summary covering defense tech. There is still a long way to go; we'd like...
