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UGVs O Strengthening Ties O Modular Radios Mobile Networks O Portable Energy Systems

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7 Strengthening tieSUniforms from nine different countries and services filled the halls of U.S. Air Force Special Operations School September 8 to 19, as students from across Latin-American countries attended the first Building Partner Aviation Capacity Course held in Spanish.By Erica VEga

8 the evolution of Mobile networkS and Modern CoMMerCial SolutionSAccording to Lieutenant Colonel Lamont Hall, product manager for Warfighter Information Increment 2, traditional non-mobile networks, or fixed networks within the Army, were either line-of-sight radio networks or fixed-station satellite networks. By chris Mccoy

11 thankS to teChnology, building better radioSIt’s easy to describe what the U.S. military in general, and special operations forces in particular, would like in a radio: a device that can handle many different waveforms while meeting cost requirements and fitting within size, weight and power constraints. The ideal would be, in effect, one radio to rule them all.By hank hogan

24 Portable energySOCOM uses a variety of portable energy solutions, and they do so for good reason. Benefits of this technology include reducing the number and weight of batteries carried by dismounted SOF operators, increasing power/capacity for longer mission duration, and minimizing labor and maintenance with existing silver-zinc batteries on some of SOF’s undersea platforms.By Brian o’shEa

Cover / Q&AFeatures

3M DefenseProblem. Solved.

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unManned ground vehiCle review

SOTECH reached out to several leaders in the unmanned ground vehicle industry and asked the question: “What are some of your most recent advances in unmanned ground vehicles?”

afSoC at afaThe commander of AFSOC, Lieutenant General Bradley A. Heithold, answers questions at the recent AFA Conference at National Harbor, Md.

20

Special Section

U.S. Special Operations Command Europe recently engaged in Exercise Jackal Stone 14. The exercise took place amid concerns over Russian aggression in Ukraine and an effort to reassure members of NATO on the Baltic Sea.

“Jackal Stone 14 provides the opportunity for personnel of all partici-pating nations to engage in realistic and challenging training to build experience, cooperation and teamwork,” said Air Force Major General Gregory J. Lengyel, commander of Special Operations Command Europe.

The aim of Jackal Stone is to strengthen joint combined interoper-ability with U.S. allies and partner nations. The United States and the Netherlands served as the host nations.

“Multilateral exercises like Jackal Stone 2014 broaden our areas of cooperation and enhance mutual air, ground and maritime capability,” said Lengyel.

Ten partner and allied nations took part in the exercise. “As partner nations, we share a commitment to promote peace and stability and seek opportunities to

improve our interoperability,” Lengyel said.On top of the destabilizing effect the Russian Federation is creating in Ukraine, the United States

continues to debate the best way to confront ISIL.Recently, House Armed Service Committee Representative Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) gave a speech at

the conservative American Enterprise Institute that critiqued the Obama administration’s approach to the problem.

Here is one telling excerpt from McKeon’s speech:“A go-slow strategy gives them space to thrive and grow and blend with the population. Every month,

500 more foreign fighters join their ranks. Every month, they raise nearly $85 million in revenue just from oil. Every day, ISIL identifies and brutally executes the Sunni moderates who might be convinced to work with us again. Soon all that will be left is a cowering population unable to resist the Caliphate. ISIL is a Sunni movement. Getting the Sunnis to reject them is key. While we wait to see what the newly formed government will do, we are missing the chance to get the Iraqi Sunni leaders on board who can truly speak for their people. And the job will be harder this time.”

As usual, feel free to contact me with questions or comments for Special Operations Technology.


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eDitOr’S perSpectiVe

SF Soldiers Focus Training to Dominate International Competition

Special forces soldiers who placed second in an international special operations competition credit the intensity and variety of their preparation for their success.

A team of Green Berets from the 7th Special Forces Group (SFG) (Airborne) recently placed second among 17 teams at the Fuerzas Comando competition held July 23 to August 1 in Tolemaidia, Colombia. This was the highest a team from the United States has ever placed at the competition, one of several multinational exercises sponsored by the U.S. Southern Command.

The event brought special operations teams from 17 different countries together to test their physical and mental stamina with grueling events. The friendly rivalry, though frequently intense, promoted military-to-military relationships within the region.

“I’m really proud of this year’s U.S. team,” said Army Brigadier General Sean P. Mulholland, then commander for Special Operations Command South. “It’s evident in their performance, attitude and achievement that they were well prepared and took this competition seriously. It was an exciting competi-tion to watch, and I’m extremely pleased with what they accomplished.”

“Our goals this year were to place on the podium and dominate the competition wherever possible,” said a participating U.S. team member.

The team fielded by the 7th SFG (A) and headquartered at Eglin Air Force Base in Northwest Florida trained when temperatures and humidity in the region mimicked what they would experience in South America.

“We made a concerted effort to focus on cardiorespiratory and endurance capabilities. The other countries competing are usually better at traditional cardiorespiratory events whereas the U.S. team has more power and strength,” said the non-commissioned officer about how his team altered their tradi-tional training to improve their performance during Fuerzas Comando.

“Throughout our train-up, we tried to focus on potential weaknesses while ensuring we would still do well in events that are our strengths, like shooting.”

The team’s strengths in pistol and rifle shooting led them to dominate in the critical tasks and pistol qualification events, gaining them much-needed points to pull ahead of the pack and close in on the Colombian team in the lead. The sniper team also scored big during the “Snaps and Movers” event, one of many requiring precision shooting over long distances.

“The most difficult event was the 18K [kilometer] road march. Traditionally, the U.S. team does poorly in this event and has never finished in the top five positions. Colombia had conducted the event the night prior and beat Guatemala, who was a favorite to win the event,” said the non-commissioned officer.

“We knew the time to beat and wanted to take this event away from the Colombians and really show the other competitors what makes us who we are. Every person on the team pushed their bodies to the max. We had to dig deep and leave nothing in the tank.”

“We won the event and beat Colombia by one minute. After our surprise win in the road march, all the other countries immediately had more respect for us,” he continued. “They were even rooting for us to win the competition and would cheer ‘USA’.”

“Everyone in 7th Special Forces Group is proud of the men who repre-sented the United States at Fuerzas Comando. Their training in the Florida heat and humidity was intense, and they never stopped thinking how they could better prepare themselves for the challenges of the competition,” said

Colonel Robert Kirila, deputy commander of the 7th SFG (A). “Their success is a direct result of the hard work and dedication they invested during the months of training leading up to the event.”

The rivalry between the U.S. and Colombian teams was intense throughout the competition, ending with Colombia leading the U.S. by 210 points.

After the competition, and as a means to increase partnerships and understanding between the forces, members of the U.S. and Colombian teams conducted a military free fall jump from 15,000 feet over a drop zone in Colombia.

In the Fuerzas Comando competition, there is a lot to be said about experience, said the non-commissioned officer regarding advice he’d give to next year’s participants.

“Most of the competitors from other countries have competed in multiple Fuerzas Comando competitions and train almost year round for it.

“It’s imperative to understand the lessons learned from previous competi-tors,” he concluded.

compiled by kMi Media group staffWhiSperS

Major General Clarence K.K. Chinn, senior commander for Fort Bragg, N. C., has been assigned as deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg.

Brigadier General Kurt L. Sonntag, deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, has been assigned as commander, Special Operations Command South, U.S. Southern Command, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla.

compiled by kMi Media group staffpeOple

www.SOTECH-kmi.com SOTECH 12.9 | 3

SOTECH rEaCHEd OuT TO SEvEral lEadErS in THE unmannEd grOund vEHiClE induSTry and aSkEd THE quESTiOn:

“WHaT arE SOmE Of yOur mOST rECEnT advanCES in unmannEd grOund vEHiClES?”

Our military and their international coalition partners are increasing their focus on the ever-expanding threat of chemi-cal, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) attacks. The growing sophistica-tion of CBRN threats creates the need for advanced technologies to combat this new reality.

IRobot has continued to develop and improve its unmanned ground vehicle portfolio to adapt to and support the CBRN mission. Specifically, as advancements have been made in sensor technology, we have fully integrated a suite of the latest CBRN sensors to our robotic platforms, which allow warfighters to address these threats at greater standoff distances.

The Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) is an example of one agency taking a proactive role in bolstering its CBRN capabilities via unmanned vehicles. The Canadian DND recently purchased 20 iRobot 510 PackBot CBRN Recce Systems to meet the challenge of keeping personnel safe when responding to CBRN threats.

The iRobot 510 PackBot is a modu-lar, adaptable and expandable robot that can perform bomb disposal, surveillance and reconnaissance; CBRN detection; and HazMat handling operations via remote control from a safe location. While the 510 PackBot CBRN Recce System meets specific Canadian DND requirements, the base 510 PackBot Multi-Mission platform seamlessly integrates numer-ous third-party sensors to assist with the identification and interrogation of chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals, volatile gases, explosives and radiation.

With the help of our robots, CBRN or HazMat teams can rapidly determine the best course of action to mitigate the transfer of or exposure to dangerous sub-stances. Quickly configured based on mis-sion needs, PackBot easily climbs stairs and navigates narrow passages with confi-dence, relaying real-time video, audio and sensor data while the operator stays at a safer, standoff distance.

IRobot’s smaller 110 FirstLook is also able to accommodate sensors for CBRN detection. This 5-pound robot provides an added option for CBRN and HazMat teams. It can be used to provide hasty situational awareness and to serve as a mesh repeater

to extend the range of other robots in a variety of missions.

IRobot has delivered more than 5,000 robots to military and civil defense forces worldwide, and we continue to innovate through the development of next-genera-tion technologies. As iRobot looks to the future, robot controller interoperability and autonomy will also be a focus, ensur-ing greater ease when it comes to the safe detection and disposal of dangerous substances.

toM PhelPS | Director of Robotic Products, North America iRobot Defense and Security Business Unit | iRobot

www.SOTECH-kmi.com4 | SOTECH 12.9

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.- Leonardo da Vinci

When ReconRobotics introduced the world’s first tactical micro-robot in 2007, it won the immediate attention of our nation’s warfighters. Already experienced with company-level small UGV robot systems weighing 30 pounds or more, soldiers, Marines and special forces opera-tors now had a 1-pound, personal video sensor that could be carried in a cargo pocket, deployed in three seconds and thrown up to 120 feet. The Recon Scout Throwbot sensor provided unique, mobile

life-saving reconnaissance capabilities in an extremely small and exception-ally durable form factor, and it became instantly successful.

Today, nearly 4,500 Throwbot sensor systems have been deployed worldwide, including more than 2,000 with the U.S. military. These systems have continued to evolve over the years in response to tacti-cal requirements, but ReconRobotics has always stayed true to the original premise that, all else being equal, overburdened warfighters will always opt for the small-est, simplest and most durable system available to them.

Recently, ReconRobotics increased the ground speed and obstacle-clearance capabilities of the Throwbot sensor, but kept its weight at 1.2 pounds. The com-pany also added infrared optical systems toM PhelPS | Director of Robotic Products, North America

iRobot Defense and Security Business Unit | iRobot

andrew drenner, Ph.d. | Director of Engineering ReconRobotics


THE individual rObOTiC inTElligEnCE SySTEm (iriS)

While Roboteam Ltd.’s Medium Tacti-cal Ground Robot (MTGR) has garnered accolades for its recent performance assisting U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Israeli troops against the labyrinth of tunnels and shafts supporting subter-ranean arms depots, command posts and cross-border attacks from Gaza, Roboteam officials are touting the per-formance and potential of another of the company’s family of robotic systems—the smaller, lighter and exceedingly capable Individual Robotic Intelligence System, or IRIS.

A throwable, miniature (8 by 9 by 4.3 inches) all-wheel-drive robot weighing a scant 3.5 pounds, IRIS is an ultra-light-weight, hyper-maneuverable, ruggedized miniature robot capable of generating 360-degree video while traveling at three miles per hour. Exceedingly power-effi-cient, IRIS can run for up to four hours on replaceable batteries.

IRIS is controlled via a small, light, handheld ruggedized operational control unit (ROCU5) especially adapted to the platform. The ROCU5 is a high-resolution, handheld, touch-screen operator console with gamepad controllers and power sup-ply efficiencies mirroring the IRIS.

iriS EmplOymEnT and appliCaTiOn

Designed to support military forces in infantry, intelligence and special opera-tions missions, as well as law enforcement and public safety officials, IRIS can be car-ried in an operator’s side pocket or thigh case like a sidearm.

Purpose-built to take a beating—IRIS can absorb an impact falling from 10 feet high—the vehicle can be thrown or dropped into a target area to quietly com-mence its mission.

Roboteam notes that IRIS can send a laser signal, pick up audio and video day and night via a microphone and camera, and collect real-time intelligence from positions—over a wall, on a balcony or in a small or confined space such an air vent or within a tunnel or pipe—that might be difficult, dangerous or impossible for a

military, paramilitary or civilian operator to access.

IRIS is a uniquely flexible asset. In addition to the electro-optical/infrared and acoustic payloads, we’ve demon-strated that IRIS can be used as a com-munications repeater and carry mapping devices for underground operations and CBRN sensors.

IRIS has been purchased by Israel and deployed with Israeli Defense Forces, including those recently engaged in the Gaza operations. Roboteam officials add that orders have been placed by other international customers, including spe-cial forces and SWAT teams. O

and sophisticated audio sensors that could pick up quiet conversations from up to 35 feet away, increased the Throwbot XT’s water and dust resistance and enhanced the operator control unit (OCU) with rotating antennas, optional screen dim-ming, video and audio ports and increased ergonomics—all while maintaining the same total system weight of just 3 pounds.

Driven by emerging specifications from defense forces here and abroad,

ReconRobotics has also developed an eco-system of accessories that increase the utility of the sensor system to warfight-ers. These include a compact, extendable SearchStick that converts the robot into a pole camera for searching over walls and into attics; a lightweight field charger that allows warfighters to simultaneously charge the robot and OCU using 2590/5590 batteries; a bayonet mount that connects the sensor to M4 and M16 rifles; and a

tether that allows an operator to lower the Throwbot XT into a shaft or cave.

Earlier this year, the National Advanced Mobility Consortium awarded ReconRobotics a competitively-bid pro-gram to provide a new digital version of the Throwbot system that could deliver com-plete UGV radio flexibility to U.S. defense forces. This program awaits funding through the 2015 Department of Defense budget.

For more information, contact SOTECH Editor Chris McCoy at [email protected]

or search our online archives for related stories at www.sotech-kmi.com.

Shahar abuhazira | CEO Roboteam North America


Uniforms from nine different countries and services filled the halls of U.S. Air Force Special Operations School (USAFSOS) from September 8 to 19, as students from across Latin-American countries attended the first Building Partner Aviation Capacity Course (BPACC) held in Spanish.

This iteration of BPACC, conducted almost entirely in Span-ish, is a two-week course bringing together partner nation mili-tary and civilian personnel with their U.S. counterparts to build a shared, practical vision for aviation resource development.

“This course was created in response to requests by secu-rity cooperation officers assigned to U.S. Embassies in Latin America,” said Susan R. Alaniz, USAFSOS Theater Engagement Division chief. “Several SCOs liked the idea of [this] course, but thought that they could get more Latin-American leaders to attend if it was offered in Spanish.”

The course drew 14 international students from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Uruguay, as well as a select group of 22 U.S. citizens.

“This is a chance to engage and build a partnership with senior leaders from U.S. South Command on our territory,” said Lieutenant Colonel Trevor B. Benitone, USAFSOS com-mandant.

Connecting with U.S. allies in Latin America was a key goal of the course.

Usually this course is conducted quarterly and in English with students from many different theaters. This edition of BPACC is unique because all of the foreign participants are from the same theater.

“It’s a great networking opportunity for us,” said Major Patri-cia Castro of Andean Ridge Regional Engagement Branch from Special Operation Command South. “This helps strengthen lines of communication for when we engage in Latin America…and understanding culturally how they operate helps us do our job better.”

Alaniz explained that this seminar is an opportunity for interactive discussions, not only between the students and the instructors, but also among the course participants.

This network supports the U.S. Southern Command vision of fostering security, ensuring stability and promoting prosperity throughout Central and South America.

“The reality is that we face common threats and only through these courses are we able to help each other find solutions,”

said Colonel Pablo Soriano, 1st Air Brigade commander from El Salvador.

USAFSOS is looking into the possibility of offering the class again in the future due to the amount of interest already gener-ated.

“Normally when we come to the U.S., due to their lessons learned and the experience that they have, we always acquire knowledge,” said Captain de Navio Gonzalo Ciganda, Naval Avia-tion Group commander from Uruguay.

Magnifying the classroom curriculum, students will visit three types of airfields to expose them to different airport opera-tions and infrastructure. They will also visit the Okaloosa County Courthouse to hear from law professionals and see actual court proceedings. O

Erica Vega is a public affairs officer at Air Force Special Operations Command.

uSafSOS SpaniSH COurSE STrEngTHEnS bOndS WiTH laTin-amEriCan alliES.

by EriCa vEga

For more information, contact SOTECH Editor Chris McCoy at [email protected] or search our online archives for related stories

at www.sotech-kmi.com.

Shahar abuhazira | CEO Roboteam North America

Captain de Navio Gonzalo Ciganda, the Naval Aviation Group commander from Uruguay (right), talks to Captain Luis Hencker, U.S. Southern Command (center), and Colonel Cesar Macedo, 2nd Air Wing commander from Peru (left) during a break in the first, Spanish-language Building Partners Aviation Capacity Course. [Photo courtesy of the U.S. Air Force/by Lori Werth]


According to Lieutenant Colonel Lamont Hall, product manager for Warfighter Information Increment 2, traditional non-mobile networks, or fixed networks within the Army, were either line-of-sight (LOS) radio networks or fixed-station satellite networks.

The LOS radio networks primarily relied on short distance point-to-point transmissions between fixed or stationary relay tow-ers. LOS radio networks were constrained to a small geographical area and were limited by the number of relay towers available. Fixed-station satellite networks were comprised of 3-meter and larger fixed-satellite dishes, which provided network services to local sites that were connected to the fixed dish via fiber cables.

“The Army realized that these fixed networks did not support its rapidly deployable, expeditionary mission requirements,” said Hall. “The service embarked on a path to develop mobile tactical networks that supported the expeditionary missions of brigade combat teams (BCTs) with the data, intelligence and communications that they required at the point of need.” Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) Increment 2, the Army’s mobile tactical network communications backbone, is the result of this development.

WIN-T Increment 2 provides enhanced capabilities over the previously fielded at-the-halt WIN-T Increment 1 and its upgrades, including network-equipped vehicles that provide the on-the-move communications and situational awareness that commanders need to lead from anywhere on the battlefield. WIN-T Increment 2 enables deployed soldiers down to the company level operating in remote and challenging terrain to maintain voice, video and data communications while on patrol, with connectivity rivaling that found in a stationary command post. Additionally, the advanced

suite of Network Operations tools provided by WIN-T Increment 2 helps communications officers manage the network more effec-tively to help keep vital signal links connected.

“The chief of staff of the Army has articulated his vision for a leaner, expeditionary, agile future Army that retains overmatch over opponents and has the ability to prevent, shape and win in any challenge we confront,” said Hall. “In order to do this, the Army and BCTs will have to deploy teams to any austere environment at a moment’s notice, with the ability to securely connect and access data at the point of need. To make that happen, we need to provide a mobile network that is robust, versatile and rapidly deployable, allowing for quick adjustments based on mission, region and other factors.”

WIN-T Increment 2 fills this requirement by providing the Army’s first on-the-move tactical network, which has been used by three BCTs in advise-and-assist missions in Afghanistan, where soldiers referred to it as their “digital guardian angel.” U.S. forces relied on this technology to stay connected and cover more ground despite the fact that network infrastructure is being dismantled as U.S. and coalition forces return home.

With WIN-T Increment 2, commanders and soldiers can stay connected in the field with advanced mission command and com-munication capabilities so they don’t have to worry about being tied down to the command post or limited by the terrain and short ranges of the traditional line-of-sight radios for communication.

“Soldiers in Afghanistan often used the WIN-T Increment 2-equipped vehicles in unique ways to meet mission require-ments, such as using them as mobile network hotspots to provide

mObilE nETWOrking TECHnOlOgy iS advanCing aT a SHarp paCE.by CHriS mCCOy

SOTECH EdiTOr


reachback connectivity for multiple personnel,” said Hall. “From inside the vehicles, they could also view UAV feeds for a 360-degree bird’s-eye view of their entire area of operations and any potential threats that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.”

During route clearance patrols, soldiers used these vehicles to coordinate with the tactical operations center and to retrans-mit radio signals. WIN-T Increment 2 provides that speed and ability to quickly share critical information over larger areas of operation.

CHallEngES TO miliTary mObilE nETWOrkS

Hall explained that Army tactical mobile satellite networks pres-ent three primary technical challenges.

“The first is with high-speed satellite tracking antennas that track and maintain connectivity with satellites while on the move over rough terrain in all weather environments while withstanding combat shock and vibrations and power fluctuations,” he said. “All the while, these systems must maintain an extremely high reli-ability level with months of continuous operations between failures under these challenging conditions.”

The second challenge is in providing on-demand bandwidth to priority users with guaranteed delivery of critical network traffic with minimal latency.

“Lastly, it is a challenge to ensure network traffic prioritization of voice, data and applications with precedence given to critical message types and time-sensitive mission command applications such as fires, intelligence and emergency medical services,” Hall

explained. “The WIN-T Increment 2 program is continually work-ing to overcome these challenges, while making the system more intuitive for soldiers to learn and operate. WIN-T Increment 2 pro-vides soldiers with the information and communications they need, where and when they need it.”

COmmErCial SOluTiOnS: a SySTEm Of SySTEmS

Klas Telecom offers the Voyager networking solution. Voyager is a modular and scalable baseband networking system of systems that is low in size, weight and power (SWaP) and boasts a product feature set unique to the marketplace. Voyager comprises a range of Cisco-based common form factor networking modules (rout-ing, switching, VoIP, RoIP, cellular and more) and various chassis options for use across the full spectrum of deployment platforms, and from static to on-the-move operations. Because of the system’s flexible design, it can scale easily from supporting a single user to company command posts and to echelons above battalion.

“In short, Voyager is one system that can be used in multiple applications from airborne, ground operations, vehicle, and tradi-tional 19-inch rackmount environments,” said Carrie Sarver, Klas Telecom Marketing and Communications director. “It can be used across all echelons of support—[from] small to large teams—and contains a vast portfolio of networking capabilities to meet virtually any requirement, whether that’s legacy technology like ISDN, inno-vative technology like 3G/4G LTE cellular base station, WiFi/cellular tethering, integration of disparate IP devices, removable storage and configuration keys and more. Gone are the days when you need multiple, disparate systems to support all mission requirements.”

Voyager’s “plug and play” design allows the core of the first-in-communicators network package to become the core of the increased capacity network systems so that no component goes unused as the systems scale. This reduces operational hardware footprint, simplifies logistics and sparing, and lowers the amount of training required.

Voyager can be packed in airline carry-on size roll-away cases, mounted in a standard 19-inch rack, integrated into vehicles and aircraft, and configured for backpack use.

“With Voyager, you eliminate the need for dedicated military or maritime transportation. This enhances deployability because you can leverage commercial aircraft or simply use FedEx,” said Sarver.

In terms of system security, no sensitive information resides on the module when it is configured for use with a Voyager Ignition Key (VIK). VIK is a unique-to-the-market feature of the Voyager system that provides a removable storage option for router and switch configurations and router and switch file systems. The VIK allows a module to be reconfigured simply with the exchange of a hardware token.

“The VIK increases system security because removal of the VIK also removes any sensitive configuration information (such as pre-shared keys), rendering the module unclassified,” said Sarver. “As VIK is available in multiple colors, it can be used to provide quick identification of the security enclave for which a particular system is configured.”

For enhanced security, VIK has a proprietary interface and VIK readers/adapters have controlled availability. VIK also may be encrypted using 256-bit AES algorithms for enhanced data-at-rest security. VIKs optionally may be locked to specific hardware to pro-vide additional authentication means.


Klas Telecom is currently enhancing their cellular offerings, and recently released the Voyager m-Series of modules that are half the SWaP of the existing Voyager range of network modules. Already on the market are the VoyagerERm and the VoyagerESm, a Cisco 5915 router and Klas-designed switch respectively.

“We are working on a half-height server module as well as a few others,” said Sarver. “These will further enhance the scalabil-ity of the system and allow the single user to strictly carry only what he or she needs. The new Voyager m-Series modules are also compatible with the existing Voyager suite of equipment, showing the company’s dedication to reducing barriers for its customers in integrating the latest technology with existing investments.

rEal-TimE mulTimEdia SHaring COllabOraTiOn CapabiliTiES

The mobile networking company Mutualink offers real-time voice interoperability and multimedia sharing collaboration capabilities. Their technology allows different radio, telephone and mobile systems to be bridged in secure communications. Mutualink allows operators to utilize any available IP transport to connect as well.

“Mutualink also offers the most advanced, secure multimedia push-to-talk solution for mobile devices, which enables radio-like push-to-talk in talk groups, or operational nets, with the ability to interoperate with traditional operational radio nets, including being able to collaborate across multiple nets in joint and coalition scenarios,” said Joe Mazzarella, senior vice president, Mutualink. “This capability also includes the only real-time two-way (send or receive) video, which is ideal for shared situational awareness and light footprint surveillance.”

With Mutualink, an operator could be joined with other opera-tional nets, talking with aerial support platforms and sending and receiving eyes on imagery all in real time anywhere in the world, and command and control can have real-time situational awareness and direct connectivity down to the warfighter.

Mutualink can interface, bridge and share ISR, sensors and any other system where information needs to be pushed or shared with others in real time.

“Mutualink is unique in a number of ways,” said Mazzarella. “The most important way is in its multimedia capabilities. Mutua-link is more than just some tactical radio bridge box dropped into the field that is hard to use and sits on a shelf. We provide voice, video and information sharing in a cohesive, collaborative sharing framework on a wide-area, on-demand basis.”

Mutualink also uses a distributed architecture. There is no central server or switch in the architecture. It is peer-based and the network is virtual. Each agency or node has total sovereign control both logically and physically over its communications and multime-dia resources. There is no need for a trusted third party and no one may interfere with your communications.

“Mutualink solves a critical issue, especially in terms of security and control of national assets,” said Mazzarella. “The security of Mutualink is also unique because the virtualized network structure employs on-demand enclaves that are non-persistent, meaning when one or more parties want to collaborate, they do so through secure invitations and acceptance, then a secure encrypted col-laboration session is created that only the participants know about

and can use. Once the session is done, the enclave disappears with no trace.”

This model is different from the type of persistent routing and connection enclave schemes used which are intrinsically vulnerable because they are static and discoverable.

Mutualink is the interoperable communications platform of choice for NATO special operations forces. SOCOM interfaces with NATO SOF. At this time, Mutualink has not yet worked directly with SOCOM other than through certain theater special operations commands.

“Given that SOCOM has a global mandate and must be able to operate anywhere at any time, often within complex multi-agency environments and in cooperation with local assets, Mutualink provides the type of capability which is core to its mission,” said Mazzarella. O



A Virtual Computing Solution

The Nutanix Virtual Computing Platform is a converged infrastructure solution that consolidates the compute (server) tier and the storage tier into a single, integrated appliance. Government agencies rely on this technology to address the challenges associated with traditional large-scale datacenter architectures such as poor scalability, lack of agility, network bottlenecks and unsustainable capital and operational costs. It also enables agencies to more efficiently and effectively pursue their datacenter consolidation and mobility initiatives by opti-mizing any virtual environment.

“The Nutanix Virtual Computing Platform eliminates the need for costly and complex storage area networks by integrat-ing high-performance storage and computing into one unified appliance,” said Chris Howard, vice president, Federal, Nutanix. “This approach to datacenter convergence provides modular, ‘building block’ scaling that enables agencies to start small and grow incrementally, resulting in unprecedented cost savings and efficiency and near-immediate return on investment.”

The platform is simple and fast to install. It deploys in about 45 minutes, requires little to no operation or management intervention and performs much faster compared to legacy infrastructures.

“The Nutanix Virtual Computing Platform has received an authority to operate, meeting security baseline standards after a full system test and review by the Defense Information Systems Agency,” said Howard. “The solution also enables an agency to enhance the security of a Nutanix cluster with two-factor authentication. The Common Access Card feature allows authentication and access control through a combination of a physical security card and a password, addressing stringent security requirements of DoD and other agencies.”

Currently, Nutanix systems are deployed by SOCOM in Afghanistan.


It’s easy to describe what the U.S. mili-tary in general, and special operations forces in particular, would like in a radio: a device that can handle many different waveforms while meeting cost requirements as well as fitting within size, weight and power (SWaP) constraints. The ideal would be, in effect, one radio to rule them all.

However, making such a device is chal-lenging. For instance, for tactical radios, the SWaP constraints can be quite severe, with warfighters already hauling around 50 or more pounds of other gear. In addition to weight, that equipment also takes up space and often consumes power. Consequently, radios may have a tight SWaP window that they must fit into.

As for waveforms, an ideal radio would need to handle the dozens that are approved. Some are best suited for voice, others for a mix of voice and data, and the rest perform best for data alone. Of the different types of traffic, data is growing in importance and changing in nature.

“The future is headed towards mobile ad-hoc networking capabilities and the ability to receive and distribute video from surveil-lance assets,” said Deborah Woods, program

executive officer for command, control, communications and computers (PEO-C4) in SOCOM’s Special Operations Research, Development and Acquisition Center.

There has been progress in meeting these challenges. For example, digital, soft-ware-defined modular radios are now part of the warfighter arsenal. These offer the ability to potentially configure a radio on the fly, adding support for a waveform as needed. Such software-defined radios have made a significant contribution to the greater capa-bility of today’s tactical communication sys-tems, according to Woods.

In theory, software-defined radio technol-ogy allows one piece of equipment to replace many, with these depending upon hardware alone to receive, transmit and process wave-forms. In practice, physical constraints and the capabilities of installed hardware get in the way, at least currently.

“We still do not have a software-defined radio capable of accepting any waveform via a software update. Many software waveforms require specific hardware architectures that are not currently portable to existing receiver/transmitter hardware configura-tions,” Woods said.

Nonetheless, she indicated that the new modular radio technology shows promise. Software-defined radio communications, for example, enable the rapid development and deployment of new waveforms, the move-ment of more data at higher rates, the dynamic integration of disparate radio net-works and the knitting together of a number of nodes into a single system.

What’s more, advances in miniaturiza-tion mean that more and more components can be squeezed into a smaller form fac-tor than ever before. Care must be taken to ensure that heat generated by multiple transmit and receive modules crammed into a small space is dissipated, Woods noted. For-tunately, reducing power requirements can pay off in terms of decreasing the demand for power and batteries.

Innovations elsewhere are also paying dividends, particularly in the form of com-mercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology. COTS technologies offer such capabilities as wideband networking and interfacing with mobile computing devices, Woods indicated.

General Dynamics C4 Systems of Scott-sdale, Ariz., is one company currently sup-plying modular, software-defined radios

THE SEarCH fOr THE idEal TaCTiCal radiO SySTEm. by Hank HOgan, SOTECH COrrESpOndEnT


through contracts with both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. The latter is for the first software-defined radio placed into service by the U.S. military, according to Chris Brady, vice president of engineering. The radio provides multiple waveforms and multi-level information security for voice and data communications using frequencies ranging from two megahertz to two gigahertz, a span covering three orders of magnitude.

On land, the company’s AN/PRC-155 two-channel manpackable radio is currently in low-rate production, while its AN/PRC-154A handheld rifleman radio has been fielded by the Army. The first combines a radio, router and computer into one unit, offering encryption capabilities that enable communication and transmission security. It supports frequencies from two MHz out to 2.5 GHz, and creates self-forming ad-hoc networks in any battlefield scenario, according to company literature. The soft-ware-defined radio supports advanced and current-force waveforms. These include

those waveforms designed for connecting soldiers to one another as well as those intended to reach satellites for long-haul links.

In a nod to the reality of the penetra-tion of commercial products into military applications, the handheld radio allows users to more easily employ smartphones and tablets in a tactical network. Text, pictures and video from such devices can be sent to others on the network through the radio, with the transmission at either the secret or unclassified levels. The radio itself provides voice communication and constant position location information, crucial data in a tacti-cal situation.

Speaking of smartphones, Brady invoked the technology in describing the benefits of software-defined radio technology. Smart-phones can be updated with new appli-cations and capabilities remotely through software via distribution from a centralized server. Something similar can be done with a software-controlled radio. As new capabili-ties are developed, they are downloaded to the radio so that the performance of the device can be quickly and cost-effectively aligned for a specific mission or function.

The influence of smartphones shows up in another vital area. In particular, improve-ments in chip technology are important. Here, the demands of commercial mobile computing devices are to reduce power and improve performance. The resulting tech-nology is lighter and more energy-efficient. These innovations in hardware are helping to improve military radio technology.

Looking forward, the trend toward soft-ware-defined radios will continue, as these represent the majority of new radios in use by the military today, Brady said. The next generation of products will offer more than voice and data communications, however.

One likely change is that the radios will become a more integral part of the com-munications network. Other likely technol-ogy trends will be driven by the changing battlefield and the fact that the devices will increasingly no longer be simple radios. Instead, they will be combinations of a router, a computer, a radio and other devices. As a result, future software-defined radios will deliver more and more network-based applications. Some of these will include cyberdefense capabilities, Brady predicted.

One other important trend driving changes in modular radios shows up in work being done by Cubic Corp. of San Diego. The company’s Defense Systems unit

provides combat training and secure com-munications gear and services to the U.S. military.

According to Cubic Defense Sys-tems Director of Business Development Tim Kokinda, the company is helping develop technology that will benefit dis-mounted users, such as forward-deployed warfighters. Today, such individuals involved in intelligence, surveillance and reconnais-sance work often have to carry an ISR receiver in addition to a tactical radio, with the receiver used to capture full motion video (FMV) arriving over a common data link (CDL) connection from an asset such as an unmanned airborne vehicle. Video is an ever more important part of the data being communicated to and from forward-deployed units, and the focus of Cubic’s efforts.

“We are working with the major tactical radio providers to integrate our nano-size ISR receive module with the current suite of CDL waveforms into their handheld and manpacked tactical radios to support dis-semination and retransmission of FMV over the tactical radio networks,” Kokinda said.

He added, “By combining the capabili-ties of these two offerings into the future radio, you allow the dismounted operator to lighten their basic load of equipment they have to carry—they no longer need to carry an ISR receiver since it is now embedded in the tactical radio.”

As part of this development effort, Cubic is working with its industry partners to reduce the size, weight and power require-ments of the integrated tactical-ISR radio. A smaller and lighter radio will be easier to carry. Cutting the power requirements means the radio will run longer on batteries. For forward-deployed units, a category that includes special operations forces, lessening the need for power and batteries will reduce the overall load, allow for missions of greater duration, or both.

This integrated radio is part of the over-all trend toward software-defined technol-ogy. This approach allows one radio to provide more capability and interoper-ability in a smaller form factor than when multiple radios are used. While this tech-nology allows a device to handle a wider variety of waveforms, there is a limit to what can be done because adding more wave-forms increases the complexity and cost of the resulting system, according to Kokinda.

The challenges to building a man-packable version of such radios involve

The MBITR2 is a tactical handheld radio that provides simultaneous two-channel communication. [Photo courtesy of Thales]


making the chips and boards smaller, dissipating the heat produced by the device, and powering it with available batteries for a long enough period of time. Getting every-thing to fit in the available space can also be difficult.

“There are some chal-lenges, but they’re not insur-mountable,” Kokinda said of the situation.

For instance, some of the constraints can be met by using commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology. Commercial appli-cations confront many of the same issues as their military counterparts with regard to size, weight and power. This means the tech-nology developed to solve these problems could benefit military users. For instance, Kokinda said that COTS is critical in design-ing boards to meet a small form factor. Furthermore, technology developed to allow tablets and smartphones that communicate wirelessly to run for longer periods of time on a single charge may be of use in design-ing future radios.

Looking ahead, Kokinda predicted there would be small form factor radios that con-tain integrated smart networking solutions within them. These smart radios would support voice, video and data requirements arising from ISR, command-and-control and other areas. Combining radios, routers, computers and ISR receivers into one pack-age would drive down overall cost, he noted.

Thales Defense & Security Inc. of Clarks-burg, Md., has been providing software-defined radios to the military since the turn of the century, according to Verna Wright, director of business development for the company’s special operations forces line of business. She added that the company was supplying these radios before the phrase software-defined radio came into vogue.

Over the years, the technology has evolved, with the latest being the MBITR2, a tactical handheld radio that provides simultaneous two-channel communication. The device does double duty thanks to a Soldier Radio Waveform wideband chan-nel and a narrowband channel. The lat-ter enables communication with legacy gear. As for the wideband channel, it allows dismounted soldiers to integrate into a tactical IP and voice network, thereby provid-ing networking, voice and video capability.

This new technology is encased in a familiar package, Wright noted. “It

essentially combines two radios into a single form factor that is nearly identical to the AN/PRC-148, which is already in widespread use by our special operations forces. Since it has a com-mon look and feel with the AN/PRC-148, user training is minimized,” she said.

Troops should benefit from this in several ways,

Wright added. First, the MBITR2 retains compatibility with the existing installed base of ancillaries for the older radio, the AN/PRC-148. That makes logistics support eas-ier. Second, since it combines the functions of two radios into one, warfighters who cur-rently have to carry two radios may instead be able to just carry one, thereby lightening their load.

The reach of the radio can be extended even further through the use of satel-lite communication terminals. A Thales subsidiary, Tampa Microwave, offers man-packable versions of these terminals to special operations forces. This technology enables a MANNET network operating on one set of handheld radios to be extended to a distant MANNET network of handheld devices.

An advantage of software-defined radio technology is that it provides a means to upgrade capabilities via a software change. Doing the same with traditional radios entails replacing hardware, an expensive proposition that can take considerable time. With software determining radio functional-ity, upgrades due to the adoption of new waveforms or advances in network connec-tivity should be easier to implement.

Of particular interest to special opera-tions forces is the company’s commitment to reducing its radios’ demands in terms of size, weight and power. Wright pointed out that Thales already provides solutions in a form factor smaller than that of any other of similar capabilities from other suppliers.

What’s more, the company is working to maintain that edge by taking advantage of innovations developed elsewhere for other applications. For instance, Thales leverages commercial components, selecting ones that can meet environmental requirements. The company then simulates their operation in the final design to ensure the needs of military end products are satisfied.

“Through the use of COTS, we can take advantage of the latest technologies and

capabilities developed for the evolving com-mercial market,” Wright said.

The innovations thus incorporated can benefit another trend Thales is embracing: using a modular concept so as to expand product capabilities. The company offers, for instance, a full motion video receiver mission module. Developed in conjunction with L-3, this add-on allows legacy hand-held radios to access the video produced by airborne assets such as unmanned vehicles. For troops on the ground, this means that they can get the information they need without having to haul around a dedicated full motion video ground ter-minal receiver.

There’s a double benefit, one being a reduction in the size and weight burden of such communications. The second advan-tage is that the radios currently in the field can have their capabilities expanded, maxi-mizing the investment already made.

As for the future, Thales is working with industry partners to extend this modular concept, bringing in new capabilities where it makes sense and is possible. For special operations forces, successful efforts in this area will mean the ability to incorporate mission-specific extended communication capabilities, with one goal in mind.

“Our ultimate goal is to reduce the amount of gear that operators carry today while increasing their overall mission effec-tiveness by streamlining and integrating various communications technologies,” Wright said.

Finally, in all of this development work aimed at improving radios and communica-tions, it’s vital to keep in mind that these devices are ultimately tools for people. In particular, they’re aimed at warfighters who may have many things on their minds, in addition to what’s coming in or going out over the radio. What’s more, those warfight-ers don’t always have a supply depot and maintenance shop nearby.

In consideration of this reality, SOCOM’s Woods said, “Tactical radio frequency com-munications capabilities are rapidly advanc-ing, and often becoming increasingly complex. It’s important to keep the complex-ity to a minimum, ensuring the user inter-face and maintenance factors are considered early and often.” O

Verna Wright

For more information, contact SOTECH Editor Chris McCoy at [email protected]

or search our online archives for related stories at www.sotech-kmi.com.


NAVy ACCEPtS DELIVERy OF FIRSt MK VI PAtROL BOAtSafe Boats International

The Navy accepted delivery of the first MK VI patrol boat on August 27.

The craft is the first of 10 patrol boats currently under contract with Safe Boats

International in Tacoma, Wash. The patrol boats will be operated and maintained by the

Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC), supporting coastal riverine forces.

“This versatile platform leverages a proven, quality design and will provide enhanced

capabilities to patrol and protect shallow coastal areas,” said Frank McCarthey, program

manager for auxiliary ships, boats and craft in Program Executive Office, Ships. “This

delivery is a significant achievement for the program and we look forward to delivering

more of these flexible, capable craft in the next few years.”

The MK VI patrol boat is an 85-foot craft arranged with an ergonomically designed

pilothouse, covered fly bridge, re-configurable main deck cabin and below-deck

accommodations.

The vessel includes shock-mitigating seating for up to 10 crewmen and eight

passengers with a maximum sprint speed of more than 35 knots.

The first MK VI successfully completed sea trials this summer and is undergoing

testing and training evolutions before it will be transitioned to NECC for operational

deployment in late spring of 2015.

The MK VI patrol boat is the Navy’s first patrol boat introduced since the mid-1980s.

Tracing its lineage to the MK III and MK IV patrol boats, the MK VI has significantly

more capabilities than its predecessors through improved performance, navigation,

armament, survivability, and command, control, communications, computers, intelligence,

surveillance and reconnaissance.

The MK VI patrol boats are expected to patrol shallow littoral areas beyond sheltered

harbors and bays for the purpose of force protection of friendly and coalition forces and

critical infrastructure, providing high-value unit shipping escort, supporting maritime

intercept and visit, board, and search and seizure operations as well as supporting theater

security cooperation and security force assistance operations.

NEw FAMILy OF SAFEty-CERtIFIABLE StANDARD COtS PROCESSING MODULESCurtiss-Wright Corporation

Curtiss-Wright Corporation announced that its Defense Solutions division has

launched a new family of DO-254 DAL C and DO-178C DAL C safety-certifiable

standard commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) processing modules designed for use

in military and civil aerospace applications. An alternative to more costly custom

designs, Curtiss-Wright’s safety-certifiable COTS modules provide the reduced cost

and development risk benefits of COTS electronics to designers of safety-certifiable

systems. The comprehensive family of select DO-254 DAL C and DO-178C DAL C

certifiable products feature the design artifact packages required to support successful

certification of the customer’s system. Use of safety-certifiable COTS Modules will

speed and significantly reduce the cost of developing critical aviation applications

on manned and unmanned platforms. The first members of the product family to be

announced are the VPX3-150 3U VPX single-board computer and the VPX3-718 3U

VPX graphics card.

“Today, the FAA demands that electronics suppliers for civil aviation, and increasingly

for military aircraft, certify their system solutions to strict safety certification standards,”

said Lynn Bamford, senior vice president and general manager, Defense Solutions

division. “Our safety-certifiable COTS module solutions, supported with comprehensive

DO-254 and DO-178 data artifact packages, provide a cost-effective alternative to

custom designs and speed the deployment of system-level aviation subsystems.”

BlacK Watch

MULtI-MODE RADAR DEtECtS SMALL, HIGH-INtERESt MARItIME tARGEtS General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

Inc. (GA-ASI), a manufacturer of remotely

piloted aircraft systems, radars, and electro-

optical and related mission systems solutions,

today announced that its Lynx Multi-mode

Radar fully demonstrated the ability to support

maritime operations in a littoral environment

during the recent U.S. Navy Exercise

Spearhead IIA held off the coast of Key West,

Fla., in June.

Integrated aboard a Predator B/MQ-9

Reaper surrogate (King Air 350), Lynx’s

synthetic aperture radar and maritime wide-

area search modes detected mine-like objects

and very small vessels, including fast boats,

sailboats and fishing boats. Concurrently, the

King Air 350 data linked the Lynx and video

data via the onboard L-3 Mini-T data link

system to the Navy’s Intelligence Carry-On

Program (ICOP) data link system installed on

the joint high speed vessel, with the ICOP

system employing L-3’s VideoScout-CM2

video exploitation and management system.

“GA-ASI’s main goal in supporting this

exercise was to provide the ICOP system

onboard the JHSV and deliver near real-time,

all-weather, day/night Lynx radar and electro-

optical/infrared imagery on high-interest

maritime targets,” said Claudio Pereida,

executive vice president, Mission Systems,

GA-ASI. “We achieved several historical firsts,

with the MQ-9 surrogate providing the ICOP

system with tactical Lynx Radar maritime data,

demonstrating Reaper’s continued operational

relevancy via new Lynx capabilities, and

successfully leveraging Reaper in support of

the Air-Sea Battle Concept.”


compiled by kMi Media group staff

ROBOtS MOVING ROBOtSLockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin, in collaboration with the U.S. Army Tank

Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center

(TARDEC), successfully conducted a fully autonomous resupply,

reconnaissance, surveillance and target-acquisition demonstration

using its Squad Mission Support System (SMSS) unmanned ground

vehicle, K-Max unmanned helicopter and Gyrocam optical sensor.

During the “Extending the Reach of the Warfighter through

Robotics” capability assessment at Fort Benning, Ga., K-Max

delivered SMSS by sling load to conduct an autonomous resupply

mission scenario for soldiers defending a village. At mission

completion, SMSS proceeded to an observation point, where it

raised its Gyrocam sensor and began scanning the area for enemy

forces. In an actual mission, upon observation of enemy forces, the

remote operator would notify the commander on the ground, who

would assess the threat and determine the appropriate method of

neutralizing it.

“Fully autonomous capabilities, as we’ve just demonstrated, will

allow servicemembers to focus on important missions and remain out

of harm’s way,” said Scott Greene, vice president of ground vehicles

for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “This successful

demonstration with both unmanned air and ground vehicles shows us

that these missions are not only possible, but can be available much

sooner than you would expect.”

“The synergistic use of unmanned air and ground vehicles will give

warfighters a larger operational reach and allow execution of missions

that are currently performed at great risk to the warfighter,” said Dr.

Paul Rogers, TARDEC director.

In 2011, K-Max became the first unmanned aircraft system to

deliver cargo in-theater for the U.S. Marine Corps. As troops were

frequent targets of improvised explosive devices and insurgent attacks,

K-Max answered the call to reduce the number of truck resupply

convoys and their troop escorts to protect soldiers on the ground.

Manufactured by Kaman Aerospace Corporation and outfitted

with its mission package of systems and sensors, the heavy-lifting

K-Max unmanned system is a transformational technology that can

lift 6,000 pounds of cargo at sea level. Capable of flying delivery

missions day and night, K-Max can reach remote locations without

risking a life.

SOCOM SIGNS A FIVE-yEAR FRAMEwORK wEAPONS CONtRACt Saab

Defense and security company Saab

has signed a new framework contract with

the SOCOM for the company’s Carl-Gustaf

man-portable weapon system (in the US

named MAAWS: Multi-role, Anti-armor Anti-

Personnel Weapon System). The contract is

a follow-on agreement to a previous five-year

contract for the 84 mm recoilless rifle system.

In connection with award of the contract,

SOCOM issued an initial order with a value of

approximately $14.3 million.

The framework contract enables the

SOCOM to place orders for weapons and

ammunition over a five-year contract period

up to a total value of BSEK 1.3 (approximately

$187 million).

“This is another great milestone for Saab

and the Carl-Gustaf system. This new order

demonstrates the continued belief by the

customer in the capabilities and versatility of

our product as well as its future potential.” said

Görgen Johansson, senior vice president and

head of Saab’s business area dynamics.

“The Carl-Gustaf has repeatedly proven

itself in the most demanding environments and

it is a versatile, powerful tool for the soldier.

The fact that the system is also being fielded to

U.S. Army light infantry combat teams speaks

for itself,” said Lars Borgwing, president and

CEO of Saab Defense and Security USA LLC.


Douglas J. Richardson currently serves as the program execu-tive officer (PEO) for Special Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Exploitation (SRSE) within Special Operations Research, Develop-ment and Acquisition Center (SORDAC) at SOCOM. In this role as a defense intelligence senior leader, he is responsible for the research, development, acquisition and fielding of surveillance, reconnais-sance, biometric, forensic, and intelligence collection and process-ing capabilities employed by special operations forces worldwide.

Over the span of his 28-year Army service, Richardson held multiple assignments and commanded cavalry units from platoon to squadron in Vietnam, Korea, Germany and the United States. He also commanded a sub-community in Germany. Richardson’s cavalry staff positions included squadron and brigade operations officer, regimental adjutant and S1, and squadron executive officer. In addition, he served on the Army General Staff (Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, Development and Acquisition), in the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Acquisition and Require-ments, J8), as an associate professor of mathematics and a summer tactical officer of a cadet company while assigned to the United States Military Academy, and as chief of armor training devices and operations research at the U.S. Army Armor Center. In Vietnam, Richardson served in the Military Assistance Command as an advi-sor to an Army of the Republic of Vietnam light infantry battalion and an armored cavalry squadron.

Richardson’s service at SOCOM began in 1988 when he served as the deputy J8 and director of SORDAC. He was the first char-tered PEO at SOCOM. After his retirement from active duty in 1993, Richardson continued serving the SOCOM community as a contractor and an appointee under the Intergovernmental Person-nel Act (IPA). He served as program manager for special operations forces equipment in the Office of Special Technology, as a SOCOM representative on several defense science board studies, and as SORDAC liaison within the SOCOM Washington Office, resulting in the establishment and expansion of key SOCOM SRSE programs.

Richardson holds a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy and two master’s degrees (applied mathematics from Georgia Institute of Technology and business administration from Long Island University). His military education includes: Infantry Officer’s Career Course, the Army Command and General Staff College, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and the Defense Systems Management College (Program Management Course). Richardson achieved Program Management Level III cer-tification in the Army Acquisition Corps.

Richardson’s awards include: Silver Star; Defense Superior Ser-vice Medal; Legion of Merit; Bronze Star with V and one Oak Leaf Cluster; Purple Heart; Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters; Air Medal; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal with V and three Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster; Combat Infantry-man’s Badge; Ranger Tab; Parachutist Badge; Army General Staff Badge; the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge; Vietnam Crosses of Gallantry with Silver Star and Bronze Star; Vietnam Armor Badge; the Vietnam Fourragère; and the Order of Saint George from the United States Armor Association.

Q: Could you discuss the role of PEO-SRSE?

A: Program Executive Office (PEO)-Special Reconnaissance Sur-veillance and Exploitation (SRSE) is one of 10 PEOs in the Special Operations Research, Development and Acquisition Center (SOR-DAC), SOCOM. PEO-SRSE is a high-performance, product-centered organization that demonstrates excellence in program manage-ment, embraces innovation, adapts to change and is dedicated to the SOF warfighter and the SOCOM commanders’ global SOF priorities. SRSE responsibilities are assigned by SOCOM Acquisi-tion Executive James Geurts to develop, acquire, field, train and

Running a Product-Centered Organization Dedicated to the SOF Warfighter

SRSE Provider

Douglas J. RichardsonPEO Special Reconnaissance Surveillance and Exploitation

SOCOM

Q&AQ&A


sustain state-of-the art, end-to-end systems for technical collection activities (advanced surveillance and reconnaissance); intelligence processing, exploitation and dissemination of intelligence-related data and information of data (including the Distributed Common Ground System-SOF); identity operations (biometrics and foren-sics); and rapid, SRSE-focused research and development. Within SOCOM, SRSE is an acquisition partner to the SOCOM director of intelligence (J2), the chief information officer (J6), the director of operations (J3), and the other PEOs in SORDAC. Externally, the SRSE portfolio has supported other services as well as international and host nation partners. Within SOCOM, SRSE products are pri-marily used by SOCOM components and theater special operations commands (TSOCs). Our external partnerships and collaborations include most of the intelligence community, the Department of Energy, military departments, several coalition partners, the DoD Acquisition, Technology and Logistics office, industry and academia.

Q: How have previous assignments influenced your management and leadership style?

A: I have been the beneficiary of serving for and with extraordinary leaders throughout my military career (28 years), my civilian indus-try career (15 years) and especially my long association and service to SOCOM and SORDAC. The SOCOM leadership at all levels (mili-tary and civilian) exudes leadership excellence that provides a menu of effective styles that can be applied to the widest range of leader-ship challenges and situations. In all, there were common impera-tives, such as: [treat] people [as] our most valuable asset, encourage decisions at the lowest levels and ensure understanding and support of the commander’s priorities. Additionally, SOCOM attracts a very gifted workforce (military, government civilian and contractor) that are expertly skilled in their craft; competent self-starters; innova-tors by nature and achievements; dedicated to supporting deployed operators; and deserving to be called [the] ‘best-in-the-world team of SOF acquirers.’ If anything, this makes the leadership challenge more critical, not easier—leading a high-performance workforce without eroding their level of performance is certainly a challenge. I focus on creating an environment that promotes work as a team; mutual trust and respect amongst individuals and organizations; intellectual honesty and moral courage; innovation and recogni-tion of achievement; decision-making at the lowest levels; taking informed risks; and care for others and their families. [It’s] pretty much the ‘let the horses run and cover their backs’ philosophy.

Q: Are there any new programs or initiatives in PEO-SRSE that you would like to discuss?

A: The last new program, related to technical collection communi-cations, was a 2012 new start entitled SOCOM CubeSat technology demonstration, which I’ll address separately. No other new programs are planned at this time. SRSE programs are primarily continuing efforts based on enduring, but periodically updated, requirements and yearly components of systems upgrades. Many of the SRSE pro-grams have been designated as commodity procurement programs (CPP), which means solutions to capability needs are based on com-mercial or government off-the-shelf solutions (COTS or GOTS). Each year, a portion of CPP portfolios are ‘refreshed’ with current state-of-the art capabilities and performance via COTS/GOTS. In this manner, the fielded capabilities stay on the cutting edge of

technology. Other programs utilize classic research development and testing to produce evolutionary technology insertions to enable periodic upgrades. Generally, each kit or system is totally upgraded in four to five years through these processes. Each year, we look toward our government and industry partners for new solutions to maintain technically superior capability.

Q: How do tagging, tracking and locating systems and enabling technologies provide critical tools to enhance situational aware-ness for the planning and execution of SOF missions?

A: SRSE’s Hostile Forces Tagging, Tracking and Locating (HF-TTL) program of record (POR), a cornerstone of the technical collection portfolio, provides a ‘Sears catalog’ of sophisticated, adaptable tracking technologies that enable SOF to find, fix and finish terrorist networks through monitoring and analyzing data from emplaced devices that feed into an integrated architecture. These devices provide actionable intelligence for SOF planners which allow them to plan and execute missions with the most up-to-date intelligence. This is accomplished by providing uniquely tailored mission sets to the components and TSOCs for specific operational and training requirements. The mission sets provide the capability to ‘watch and track’ high-value items of interest and conduct pattern-of-life analysis with technology while saving manpower for other important SOF missions. In each uniquely tailored mission set, there are sub-portfolios of tagging, tracking, close-target audio and video devices. The HF-TTL mission sets are fielded in transit cases containing all components, end items and consumables to quickly employ the optimal system configuration for the mission. SRSE, through a Foreign Military Sales program, is supporting specific Afghan National Army units (coalition and U.S. SOF partners) with TTL-like systems.

Q: Could you tell us about any recent developments in the Tactical Video System/Reconnaissance Surveillance and Target Acquisi-tion?

A: The Tactical Video System/Reconnaissance Surveillance Target Acquisition (TVS/RSTA) POR is in SRSE’s Technical Collection portfolio. TVS/RSTA provides SOF with critical special reconnais-sance (SR) equipment that directly supports the planning and execution of SOF missions with timely, comprehensive reconnais-sance information. The TVS/RSTA program consists of a system of systems to include tactical video systems, unattended ground sen-sors (UGS), unattended maritime sensors, reconnaissance systems and the Austere Location Force Protection Kit (ALFPK). Recent developments in this program include UGS and ALFPK formally being added to the program requirements baseline. The TVS/RSTA program also uses the CPP process for evolving technology insertion into the program a few times each year. The TVS/RSTA program continually looks at new and improved activity sensors, including magnetic, seismic, passive infrared, acoustic, fiber-optic, and breakwire technologies, day/night imaging devices (still and video), on-camera video motion detection and through-the-wall sensing capabilities. This allows SOF the ability to rapidly acquire and integrate a good deal of equipment into the TVS/RSTA pro-gram. TVS/RSTA capabilities are provided to the SOCOM compo-nents and TSOCs to enable SR mission accomplishment, similarly to the HF-TTL program.


Q: Could you tell our readers about the Austere Location Force Protection Kit?

A: The Austere Location Force Protection Kit (ALFPK) resulted from a 2009 rapid response effort responding to a command mis-sion needs statement to provide improved local situational aware-ness and force protection for SOF operators conducting village stability operations (VSO). ALFPK capabilities include a variety of sensors for intrusion detection and alerts, electro-optical/infrared cameras, radar tracking devices in order to detect personnel and vehicles out to a few kilometers, a command, control and user interface console, and supporting components to rapidly establish a local integrated sensor network. The kit is modular, scalable, emplaced and operated by SOF operators, and can be broken down into individual items as required to provide ‘customized’ employ-ment at the VSO location. The ALFPK is contained in four large pelican cases. In 2012, ALFPK transitioned into the TVS/RSTA POR in the technical collection portfolio as an enduring require-ment.

Q: What is the role of the Rapid Capability Insertion Office?

A: The Rapid Capability Insertion (RCI) office manages SRSE’s portfolio-focused research and development activities and proj-ects to develop and transition technology into existing programs of record within PEO-SRSE’s or PEO-SOF Warrior’s portfolio.

RCI’s standard business model includes end-user involvement throughout the acquisition process, which begins with our annual Quick-Look Capabilities Based Assessment (QL CBA). The QL CBA assesses capability shortfalls in the areas of tags, taggants, sen-sors, biometrics/forensics, communications and data processing capabilities. Once shortfalls are determined, we work closely with industry, services, national labs, the intelligence community and various other partners to deconflict development efforts and deter-mine the optimal materiel solutions. Once a materiel solution approach is identified, our goal is to develop and transition a pro-totype capability into the corresponding POR in 12 to 18 months. Maintaining constant contact with our end-users across HQ SOCOM, the components and TSOCs ensures development efforts are focused on current mission requirements and streamlines transition and fielding. The RCI program manager is dual-hatted as SOCOM’s director for Tactical Exploitation of National Capabili-ties (TENCAP). Our TENCAP office closely collaborates with the services and other combatant commands to ensure national assets are meeting our SOF requirements. The TENCAP office leverages technology development and interagency communication to coor-dinate the appropriate support for SOF priorities.

Q: What role do biometrics and forensic system equipment play in SOF?

A: If you saw the movie “Zero Dark Thirty,” you might have heard the team leader shout, “Commence SSE!” immediately after Bin Laden was killed. While there are many other scenarios where sensitive site exploitation (SSE) gear is used, that scene is a classic example of how our SSE tools are employed to gather intelligence in a real-world SOF mission. Together, biometrics and forensics make up our SSE POR supporting SOCOM identity operations. Biometrics includes technologies such as fingerprints, iris scans and facial recognition that are used to remove the cloak of anonymity from our adversaries. As you can imagine, this is a critical capability in our current operations against terrorists and insurgents. Forensics, just like in the “CSI” television program, ties people to events—but instead of criminal prosecution, our goal is providing actionable intelligence for targeting purposes. In our SSE program, we field our equipment integrated into kits that vary by the operator’s mission requirements. Our Biometric ID Kits, along with the Forensic Operator Advanced Kits, are designed to be taken on the objective and used to rapidly gather follow-on targeting intelligence while still on the scene. In contrast, the Biometric Enrollment Kits and Forensic Enabler Kits make up our second-tier capabilities and are configured for use back at the for-ward-operating base, where a more in-depth capability is required. The third level of capability we field is our exploitation analysis centers, or EACs. These expeditionary laboratories are designed to provide a theater-level forensic capability for fingerprint develop-ment and lifting, chemical detection, and identification; soon, SRSE will finalize plans to add capability to provide human DNA profiles in less than 90 minutes. The SOCOM Forensics Program is unique because of its intelligence focus. Each of the services has its own forensics capabilities, but their emphasis is on gathering forensic data for criminal prosecution. While SSE data can be, and has been, used for criminal prosecution, the primary objective for SOF is gathering forensic evidence for intelligence and follow-on targeting purposes.

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Q: What is the Joint Threat Warning System?

A: The Joint Threat Warning System (JTWS) is a POR in SRSE’s tech-nical collection portfolio providing capability to the intelligence ele-ments of SOCOM components and TSOCs. JTWS manages the rapid development, fielding and sustainment of small, low-weight, roll-on/roll-off signals intelligence (SIGINT) capabilities in support of SOF. JTWS provides threat warning, force protection and enhanced situ-ational awareness capabilities enabling specially trained SOF opera-tors to collect, process, assess and locate signals of interest providing critical information in direct support of tactical mission command-ers. In pursuit of developing unique sensor solutions, JTWS leverages the technological capacity of commercial partners while maintaining an enduring relationship with government centers of excellence, including the National Security Agency, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, Naval Post Graduate School, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, service-focused research laboratories and other government agencies.

In cooperation with partners, JTWS delivers SOF-peculiar solu-tions designed to withstand the rigors of a multi-mission environ-ment in a form factor supportive of ground, airborne and maritime operations enabled by precision geo-location capabilities resident across the variants. The Ground SIGINT Kit variant provides highly portable, manpackable and body-worn configurations to include scalable components that provide expanded capabilities in support of all components. The airborne variant provides an enhanced tactical SIGINT collection capability onboard Air Force Special Operations Command aircraft for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The maritime variant is intended to provide tactical ‘carry-on/carry-off’ special capabilities in support of waterborne operations for Naval Special Warfare and Marine special operations operators. Precision geo-location capabilities provide the ability to precisely locate targets within a deployable construct using a combination of air, vehicle and manpackable components. The JTWS Program is an evolutionary acquisition effort that is highly regarded as a key enabler to accomplishing SOF mission objectives.

Q: Any additional thoughts?

A: Under the SRSE Rapid Capability Insertion office, we are respond-ing to user requirements and technology development requests to determine the feasibility of using CubeSats to directly support SOF communications in austere and denied areas. During this technology development phase, we have partnered with key experts across the DoD and intelligence community space acquisition/operations com-munity. Our goal is to determine to what extent low-cost, tactically controlled small satellites can support over-the-horizon data exfiltra-tion requirements. Our current project, Prometheus, developed and launched eight CubeSats, each measuring 10 by 10 by 15 cm and weighing less than 3 kilograms. The satellites launched in Novem-ber 2013; all eight continue to support our capability assessment to establish SOF communications in forward-located, remote and denied areas. Finally, being part of SRSE is not only an honor; it is an exciting portfolio to be part of—it is a professional work environment, a dedicated workforce, and contains tremendous synergy amongst the programs and great cooperation among HQ SOCOM, our inter-agency and service partners, and the SOF warfighter. SRSE routinely receives operational-based complimentary feedback that confirms the value, results and importance of the systems being fielded. O

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Lieutenant General Bradley A. Heithold is the commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurl-burt Field, Fla. The command is the Air Force component of U.S. Spe-cial Operations Command. AFSOC provides Air Force special operations

forces for worldwide deployment and assignment to unified combat-ant commanders. The command has approximately 19,000 active duty, reserve, air national guard and civilian professionals.

Heithold enlisted in the Air Force in 1974 and spent three years at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., as an F-4D avionics

technician. He was commissioned in 1981 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at the University of Arkansas. He has commanded at the squadron, group, wing and agency levels, including serving as the commander of the 451st Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia and as the commander, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency. His staff assignments include positions on the Air Staff and a unified command staff. Prior to his current assignment, he was the vice commander, United States Special Operations Com-mand.

Heithold is a master navigator with more than 3,400 flight hours in the AC-130H/U, MC-130P and C-130E.

liEuTEnanT gEnEral bradlEy a. HEiTHOld anSWErS quESTiOnS aT THE rECEnT afa COnfErEnCE.

Special Section

Lt. Gen. Bradley A. Heithold

Q: Can you say how much AFSOC is involved now in the conflict with ISIL in Iraq and Syria?

A: Well, I can’t say specifically. I don’t want to divulge operations like types of aircraft and numbers of aircraft and people, but suffice it to say, when you have a campaign against a violent extremist organiza-tion—which this is—when you think of the nature of that conflict over there and you think about special operations forces, you’ve got to think that we have a piece of the action.

Air Force Special Operations Command is involved, but for me to share specifics is probably not smart for any of us. The capabilities that I bring to the fight are applicable to this particular effort against ISIL.

Q: Do you have any programs or initiatives at AFSOC that you would like to share with us?

A: Right now we are recapitalizing our legacy aircraft. We have a fam-ily of penetrating aircraft. If you think back to the history of special

operations, our job is to infiltrate and exfiltrate—we get behind the enemy. One of our primary roles is to infiltrate and exfiltrate special operations teams. We have a family of aircraft we’re putting out in the field to do that right now. That is primarily our heavy aircraft—the MC-130s. We are recapitalizing aircraft that go all the way back to the Iranian raid, all the way back to Vietnam. They are coming off the battlefield as we recapitalize them with new MC-130s.

We also have the V-22s, which essentially replace my old helicop-ters. So I have a relatively new infiltration program coming online. We are just about ready to reach the middle point for that. We have to wait a little longer for the MC-130s, but for the V-22s, we are about there.

So I’m recapitalizing my legacy aircraft. The MC-130s are being replaced with MC-130Js. It is a better-performing aircraft that can fly at a higher altitude and farther away from the target. It is safer for the crews and quieter.

All of those programs are ongoing. I would put all that into the pile of recapitalizing my force. Because let’s face it: U.S. special opera-tions forces in general are going to be engaged with violent extremist


organizations for some time. So the department saw to it to put a bit of protection on the special operations force as we went through the latest department drawdowns.

There is coding ensuring that special operations forces are viable going into the future. It’s no different for Air Force special operations.

They protected my recapitalizing programs. Due to that, we are doing pretty well.

New efforts that we have ongoing are really a focus on our training apparatus. I often say that we are going to shoot more, fly more and train harder than anybody else in the United States Air Force. I don’t mean that as derogatory against any of my counterparts in the Air Force. It is just a fact that when we call on our Air Commandos, we’re going to shoot more out of our airplanes and fly more hours in more demanding scenarios than we’ve ever done before.

My director of operations is focusing on that training apparatus and how we’re going to do that with synthetic environments, training environments and simulators. We are confronting how we tie these simulators together in distributed fashions.

For example, you may be flying a tanker with your joint partners from the Nightstalkers on your tail refueling behind you all being simulated in a distributed fashion. The world is wide open in this regard.

We’re focused on moving ahead; when I say we’re going to shoot more, fly more and train more, we’ve got to put our money where our mouth is. That is one of the key initiatives we have going on, aside from all the recapitalization of all our legacy systems. And we have efforts in our ISR portfolios as well as we look to recapitalize our per-missive ISR platforms.

Q: Does operating in Africa bring challenges to AFSOC?

A: The tyranny of distance is certainly a problem in Africa. You don’t recognize it until your crews come back and start talking about looking where they can land the airplane if necessary. We have a single-engine Pilatus PC-12 we’re using downrange.

Returning to where they started is sometimes impossible, so they are always checking and looking at where they can put the airplane down in the vast area of Africa; there are lots of places where you can’t land the airplane.

I hear those stories. I haven’t physically witnessed it firsthand, but when you listen to the crews you get the sense of how vast the area is.

Some of the aircraft that we have actually fielded over the last couple of years, or last 13 years, if you will, were for specific actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. You operated from the lily pads in Iraq and Afghanistan, and when the mission ended you’d land back in the same place that you took off from. This is not necessarily the case in Africa, since you don’t have all the places that you can operate from. The vast-ness of the area means that sometimes the airplanes that we operate are just not going to field well there.

We are looking for workarounds when conducting missions in the middle of nowhere so that our crews can refuel the aircraft and go back up.

We’d like to operate outside of some hubs with aircraft that actually have extended ranges. We probably need a longer-enduring aircraft. We are looking for aircraft that have a little bit more endurance and can operate in those environments against particular violent extremist organizations.

Q: You’ve talked about potentially new platforms; are they mostly on the manned side?

A: On the manned ISR side, we certainly need to look for extended ranges on our aircraft. On the unmanned side, extended-range Reapers are one thing we’re looking at.

There is certainly a demand signal for ISR from the geographical combat commanders. Unmanned aircraft are a great solution to many of their problems, but those aircraft need extended range. You have versions of a bigger wing on the Reaper that we are looking at that allows them to fly from their current positions and stay on target.

We’re attacking both the manned and unmanned side of the ISR equation.

Q: What platforms and airmen are most requested by different com-batant commands, and how do you see that changing?

A: A couple of things jump out at me. I almost want to answer that just about all of AFSOC capabilities are in demand by the geographical combatant commanders. I would even say special operations in gen-eral are in demand by them.

However, the capabilities I have within AFSOC to maneuver the force on the battlefield with specially equipped C-130s or other non-standard aviation capabilities are particularly powerful to the ground combat commanders.

My mobility platforms are in demand, especially ISR; it seems that we can never get enough ISR. There is a demand signal from all the ground combatant commanders, and I’m not sure we’re meeting all the demands that go through. As a result, there are trade-offs that have to be made. We have to prioritize who gets the ISR platforms and when they get them. To be honest, we bounce them around pretty frequently. AFSOC’s flexibility and agility allow us to move quickly on the battlefield from one target to another. Within the process that we have within DoD, we can move them pretty quickly. If we had more of them, we wouldn’t have to do this so frequently.

So our demand signal for our mobility and ISR assets and battlefield airman are great. It takes upward of two years to produce an airman that is viable on the battlefield. It is really longer than two years. We’re building up the capacity as quickly as we can. There aren’t too many people just sitting at home.

All that said, I am comfortable right now that we can meet the demand signal that comes from my ground combat commanders. I would not put it in a crisis column. I’d put it in the column where it’s nice to be wanted, and I think we’ve produced the capacity over the past several years and that it has been protected by DoD as they have worked on balancing the force. Protecting our funding at 2014 levels was a wise decision because now I can meet the demand signal for special operations at a reasonable and manageable level.

It’s hard for me to say that one specific area is in most demand. I’ve got lots of work.

Q: There has been some talk about adding protection systems on the V-22 Ospreys after what happened in South Sudan. Could you elaborate on that?

A: First off, when we went into South Sudan we didn’t anticipate it was going to be hot. It was an evacuation of noncombatants, if you


will. But suddenly it turned hot, so we’ve researched that. The good news was that the V-22 is a pretty survivable aircraft. There were 119 shots taken at the aircraft that survived. That I’d put in the good news column. In the bad news column, many of the guys in the back of the aircraft were severely injured.

The crews did a magnificent job of responding to the emergency, shutting down systems and limping the airplanes back.

Ultimately, it forced us to reflect on what we could do better. So we challenged our acquisitions community to come up with some ways to protect the people in the back of the airplane.

We have something and it’s an 800-pound penalty now if you make use of the total solution. If you choose to put it in the airplane, it is basically lightweight armor. It comes in certain size sheets and with it, you basically build an armored tub in the back of the airplane. Due to the penalty, there are trade-offs in terms of the amount of fuel and personnel the aircraft can carry.

Another lesson learned is that we need to start thinking of forward-firing weapons on the Osprey. We’ve been challenged with this since the inception of this airplane in special operations. A lot of trade-offs have to be made when you’re thinking of mounting guns there. We’re looking at various solutions which will be simple—not real exquisite solutions, just simple solutions that fire forward. There are some pretty novel ideas by industry partners that we’re talking about. It’s not going to be a real expensive and exotic modification of the airplane.

The V-22s are not quite where we want them yet. It’s a funny thing. When you got the airplanes downrange and you’re flying them, the mission-capable rates always seem to be better than the rates at garrison. I don’t know if it’s because you push your maintainers down-range, push all your parts downrange and push your rate of effort to the warzone because those airplanes have to fly.

So your mission-capable rates are always higher downrange and are in the 60-70 rate there. Then you get into garrison and they are in the 65-68 range and then you get into my formal training unit and they are in the 38-40 range.

It has to do with some of our vendors’ parts, but it isn’t really anybody’s fault. We’ve run into problems with the blades, for example. It’s not industry’s fault and it’s not my logistics community’s fault. This is not the blame game, folks. The issue is purely that we’re flying the airplanes differently than they thought we were going to fly them, and it puts a demand signal on the blades that is way more than anybody thought.

When you fly the V-22s in dirty environments and they get sand-blasted, for lack of a better term, the blades get scratched up and then they have to be replaced.

Suddenly, we woke up to the fact that the blades in the environ-ments we’re flying these airplanes in are getting beaten up. In Kirk-land Air Force Base, as we train the crews exactly like they are going to see downrange, we put the V-22s in dirty environments. And when you do that, it requires more maintenance, which means the aircraft are down more. And all AFSOC missions are flown in dirty environments. During a mission, an AFSOC Osprey may take off from a fixed site; however, its destination will always be a dirty environment.

One of the answers could be not to train the crews in dirty envi-ronments so as to save the blades. However, then the training will not prepare the crews for what they will need to do in combat. Those are the issues we face today.

The airplane is flying and performing very well. The V-22 is all that we ask it to be. It’s fast and it can land anywhere.

We’ve proven that acquiring the V-22 was the right decision to make. But I think we need to rethink whether 50 is enough and whether we should have an attrition reserve. When I say, ‘is 50 enough,’ we’ll never have a lot more than that, but we have to think about having an attrition reserve built into my force. Right now, if we crash one, we’re not going to be able to build one here soon. So essentially, if I crash one, I’m not going to get another one and I have no attrition reserve.

We really need to think hard about having three or four aircraft built into my 50 in order to have an attrition reserve so I always have 50 available. I’ve talked to my boss about it and it will be something we consider going forward before we run out of the opportunity to build them. It won’t be long before the V-22 mold is broken.

Q: With the demand for SOF being so high right now, do you expect your command to expand in terms of personnel any time in the next few years?

A: I don’t think so. There is a point at which we’re not into quantity so much as we are into capability. It’s essentially some of the SOF truths. You certainly can’t produce us overnight and there’s something about quality being lost if you do. I think that SOCOM is the right size right now for the most part. There could be nuances to that. But generally speaking, SOCOM is at 69,700 personnel, and in the last couple of budget cycles we’ve been pretty much protected at that level. That was the fiscal year 2014 end strength number. DoD decided to hold it right there. We were supposed to grow a little bit larger than that. Frankly, given the demands on the budget holding us at the fiscal year 2014 level and the balance of the force—the Army piece, the Air Force piece, the Navy piece and the MARSOC piece—I would argue that the force is balanced.

If I can carry the USASOC guys and shoot for the USASOC guys and I can do what I need to do for my Army component and my Navy component, then the force is not getting way out of balance.

I think that [SOCOM commander] General Votel would tell you that there is a danger of getting too big to where you cannot afford yourself. If we got bigger, I wouldn’t be able to afford to shoot more, fly more or train more. With the force where it is, I can shoot a lot and I can train a lot, so when you dial up an Air Commando you get somebody special. Where as if you get too big, you dial up an Air Commando and I’ve spread myself so thin that I can’t get anybody so special.

Again, I think we are right-sized for the conflict that we have going forward. We can afford the force that we have right now and keep it ready and that is the big challenge. If you get too big you can’t really keep it ready.

We’d rather be ready than big. I would argue that AFSOC is about there. There will be some trade-offs between the guard and the reserve. We’ll move some guard to reserve capabilities, but over-all, it will just be a movement of certain capabilities. We’re just not going to buy a whole lot more AFSOC capability. O



Special Section


Special Operations Command (SOCOM) uses a variety of por-table energy solutions, and for good reason. The benefits of this technology include reducing the number and weight of batter-ies carried by dismounted SOF operators; increasing power and capacity for longer mission duration; and minimizing labor and maintenance with existing silver-zinc (Ag-Zn) batteries on some SOF undersea platforms, said Tony Davis, director, Science and Technology (S&T), Special Operations Research, Development, and Acquisition Center (SORDAC).

Davis added that portable energy solutions can use solar power, which means less consumption of fossil fuels, reducing pollu-tion and greenhouse gas emissions and maximizing the ability to recharge batteries. They can also use kinetic energy produced from the knee and backpack harvesters to provide power on the move for dismounted operators.

SOCOM fields high-performance batteries, photovoltaic tech-nology, and energy scavenging and harvesting technology. High-performance batteries include technology applicable to all SOF dismounted battery platforms.

An example of a high-performance battery produced for SOF is the safe lithium ion battery system. This battery system was designed to provide safe and increased power compared to the existing Ag-Zn batteries currently in use on some SOF undersea platforms. This battery system also minimizes the labor and main-tenance (i.e., remove-charge-replace process) associated with the Ag-Zn batteries after each mission.

The lithium battery system consists of three individual layers joined together as a half string system. The complete system con-sists of a modular array of cells configured to prevent propagating failures and active control to prevent damage.

Photovoltaic technology is applicable to all SOF dismounts and solar panels deployed to forward-operating bases (FOBs), said Davis. The photovoltaic effect is the basic physical process through which a solar cell converts sunlight into electricity. This technology typically uses gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells/sheets or panels to harvest solar energy for later use. A specific application of photovoltaic technology is the design and development effort called the Wearable Solar Cells for the operator’s helmet and rucksack. SORDAC S&T is currently leveraging this effort through the Natick Soldier

Research and Development Engineering Center (NSRDEC). These solar cells are state-of-the-art, bendable/stretchable and highly efficient. Electricity is generated in the solar cells, which provide power for helmet-mounted and vest-mounted electronic devices on the operator.

Energy scavenging/harvesting technology is harvesting energy with the process by which energy is derived from external sources (e.g., solar, thermal, wind and kinetic energy), captured and stored in order to power wearable electronics and wireless sensor networks. Specific applications of energy scavenging/harvesting efforts conducted by NSRDEC (i.e., monitored/leveraged by SOR-DAC-S&T) are the kinetic energy knee and backpack harvesters. The knee harvester is lightweight, worn on the legs and fits like a combined knee and shin pad (not a brace). A normal walking pace will typically yield 12 watts connected directly to a power manager for energy distribution.

The backpack energy harvester consists of a lightweight pack frame with a linear generator, with the operator’s backpack (load) attached to the frame. As the operator moves, the linear genera-tor is actuated, which causes the load to move up and down while the frame remains stable. Power is generated from the up and down movement of the load while the operator is on the move. The backpack harvester typically generates 12 watts (slow walk) to 50 watts depending on the operator. A side benefit of this design is that the acceleration of the load during movement minimizes forces exerted on the operator’s back and spine. The overall load appears to be lighter on the operator.

Typically, a portable energy solution would provide a continu-ous portable power source required for the dismounted operator who deploys on a 24-hour mission, which turns into a situation

where the dismount has to remain hidden in the field indefinitely, said Davis.

SORDAC S&T is looking to invest in several solutions, including advanced wireless power trans-fer technology, advanced photovoltaic technology (using indium gallium arsenide or InGaAs) for more efficient solar cells/blankets/panels, low-power min-iaturized smart electronics, mini-generator technol-ogy for dismounts, advanced/intelligent/wearable power management/distribution for dismounts and fuel cell technology for all operators/platforms, said Davis.

pOWEr anyTimE, anyplaCE.

Tony Davis

by brian O’SHEa, STaff WriTEr


He added that they are also looking to invest in advanced supercapacitors for energy storage, safe radio-isotope technology and bio-battery technol-ogy, including technology capable of producing electrical energy through the simultaneous oxida-tion of sugars, alcohols or hydrocarbons.

“SORDAC S&T is leveraging several 2014 porta-ble power and energy initiatives for the dismounted SOF operator currently under development by other government agencies,” said Davis. “Also, SORDAC S&T is currently reviewing power and energy white papers that will most likely result in contract awards for several power and energy initiatives.”

Challenges in using these technologies include the increased weight for the operator with high-performance batteries, using solar-producing solutions in environments with prolonged inclem-ent weather or at night, and using harvesting technology based on movement, which is nullified when the operator is in a hostile environment and has to remain in place or silent.

Despite the current challenges, these solutions are essential to SOCOM’s operational success.

“A lightweight, man-portable power package is central to the success of SOCOM’s Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS) project,” said Davis. “U.S. SOCOM is developing a hybrid power system for TALOS, similar in concept to a Chevy Volt, where a power generator combined with a power storage subsystem will power an exoskeleton to enhance operator agility and survivability and state-of-the-art electronics to increase situational awareness. Solutions to meet continuous and peak power requirements within TALOS size and weight budgets are not available com-mercially; therefore, SOCOM seeks to develop power generation systems such as small and efficient internal combustion engines or fuel cells and high-energy-density and high-power-density bat-teries.”

Lind Electronics manufactures solutions that allow military personnel to power mobile devices from solar panels, military bat-teries, military vehicles and other power sources. These solutions include power adapters designed for use in aircraft, amphibious vehicles, automobiles, trains and military vehicles as well as in harsh, rugged field environments, said Mark Janssen, federal account manger, Lind Electronics. Their power adapter cases are potted with a two-part epoxy that hardens as it cools. The epoxy allows the heat that is generated to be dispersed over the entire surface of the power adapter, which increases its efficiency. The epoxy also helps eliminate the ill effects of shock and vibration on electrical components while greatly increasing the ruggedness of the power adapter.

Lind is currently developing a new BB-2590 system manage-ment bus (SMBUS) battery connector. This connector fits over the entire top of the military battery and can be used with BB-2590, BA-5590, BA-5390 and BB390 military batteries. It can be precon-figured for 12 volts or 24 volts, with or without on-board charge. The new SMBUS battery connector is lightweight, has a low profile and is splash-resistant.

While innovations in portable power solutions are on the hori-zon, there are still some gaps in this technology.

“Battery and solar technologies have not caught up to user demands in the field,” said Janssen. “The weight and size of the batteries are often quite heavy and large because of the amount

of power users need while remotely deployed. Although rugged, flexible solar panels are available, we look forward to an increase in efficiency for this newer technology. The price of the solar panels and the overall size will need to decrease in order to allow more widespread adaptation of this technol-ogy in the market.”

Another developer in this arena is Palladium Energy. Palladium designs and manufactures a suite of portable power solutions for the warfighter, including battery packs and chargers for various applications. Specifically, they have developed the

Conformal Wearable Battery (CWB), one of the only fielded and proven battery systems developed for high capacity, safety and flex-ibility in mission-critical environments.

Publicized by the U.S. Army as the “first-to-market,” the CWB was born out of the necessity to keep radios networked without

Mark Janssen

The Lind NATO slave connector allows

one to connect 12-32 VDC Lind adapters to the

NATO receptacles installed on military

HMMWV vehicles. [Photo courtesy of

Lind Electronics]

POWER FOR YOUR MOBILE DEVICES

2590 SMBUS BATTERY CABLES

www.lindelectronics.com

MIL-STD POWER ADAPTERS

SOLAR SYSTEMS


weighing warfighters down with up to 12 different batteries per day. It is changed out only once every 24 hours as opposed to changing multiple batter-ies every six to eight hours, cutting downtime and reducing the risk that a warfighter will lose power to peripheral devices. The CWB’s fit and bullet-tolerant design offers warfighters the battery capacity they need, minimizing weight (3-5 pounds per day) and volume while reducing the flammability concerns associated with lithium-ion batteries in an already high-stress environment.

“It has caused a paradigm shift in the way the military views and uses power sources, away from primary (non-rechargeable) and toward secondary (rechargeable) chemistries,” said Mike Stein, director, military, government programs product strategy for Palladium.

The CWB was designed to be worn outside of the enhanced small arms protective insert plate, so it needs to be rugged, said Stein. It has been proven to withstand extreme environmental and functional tests to ensure safety and reliability.

“The warfighter needs the absolute maximum capacity in a small, lightweight package that allows them to focus on their mission,” said Stein. “Safety requirements in battery technologies need to be emphasized. Having multiple systems on the warfighter that consume and provide power is inef-ficient and adds bulk. The advantage of a central (still redundant) power source needs to be considered.”

Stein added the biggest need is the ability to harness energy from the surrounding environment efficiently and store it in a

form that is useful. Unfortunately, the rates at which energy is consumed currently outweigh the ability of most “net zero” power generators like kinetic, solar, wind or alternative fuel generators. A light-weight, high-capacity/high-power storage device is still necessary.

SFC Energy is another industry leader that offers silent, non-detectable, portable power solu-tions based on direct-methanol fuel cells (DMFC) technology. SFC’s portable energy network com-bines the lightweight Jenny 600S fuel cell and the SFC Power Manager. The energy network is fully fielded and in operation in international defense organizations.

The portable SFC energy network was spe-cifically designed for multi-day fielded operations as a reliable power source for mobile, portable and stationary devices off the grid, said Peter Podesser, chief executive officer, SFC Energy. It consists of an SFC fuel cell, a battery, the SFC power manager and a fuel cartridge. A solar module is available as optional equipment. The network is fully interop-erable with all standards. New equipment can be integrated by simply exchanging a cable. The system

works as a fully automatic, highly efficient and lightweight battery recharging device. Power can be taken from any available sources in the field, including batteries, vehicle power, solar, etc. Configu-rable power management reduces the overall weight of the power system significantly while increasing the efficiency of the opera-tion at the same time. The system can simultaneously charge up to four batteries of all kinds or power devices directly.

SFC’s network enables weight savings of over 80 percent in a 72-hour mission, said Podesser. This unique advantage has been proven in real-life scenarios. In addition, it is quiet and odorless; reconnaissance of the operation via detection of the power supply is virtually impossible. The energy network is maintenance-free and requires no user intervention.

Podesser said there were several improvements that could be made to this type of technology such as portable soldier power for systems including night vison goggles, computers, communica-tions devices, etc. There could also be more reliable, efficient, silent and undetectable mobile charging stations that provide instantly available power.

The product pipeline of SFC for 2014/15 includes portable power systems with increased performance (up to 1.5 kilowatt hour [kWh]/day). For example, they have shipped a next-gener-ation portable fuel cell Jenny 1200 for man-portable applications with twice the power of the current Jenny 600S model and higher energy density, featuring a charging capacity of 1.2 kWh per day. They are also going to launch a new, powerful 0.5 kW fuel cell system—this fuel cell with a charging capacity of 6.0 kWh per day can be used as backup system and as a field charging system in all kinds of mobile and stationary applications. O

Mike Stein

Peter Podesser

Portable SFC Energy network and the Jenny 1200. [Photo courtesy of SFC]

Palladium’s standard BB-2590 pack with additional high-capacity and cold weather

variants. [Photo courtesy of Palladium Energy]




SOtech reSOUrce center

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November 4-6, 2014AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems Program ReviewTyson’s Corner, Va.www.auvsi.org/uspr14/home

December 8-11, 2014SOMA’s Scientific MeetingTampa, Fla.www.specialoperationsmedicine.org

December 15-18, 2014Special Operations SummitTampa, Fla.www.specialoperationssummit.com

January 20-23, 2015Shot ShowLas Vegas, Nev.www.shotshow.org

January 26-28, 2015SO/LICWashington, D.C.www.ndia.org/meetings/5880

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November/December 2014Volume 12, Issue 10next ISSUE

Features

unmanned Weapon systemsSOtech highlights the unmanned weapon systems that add to the abilities of SOcOM.

FMV on the Movein discussions about FMV, the talk often centers on bandwidth. however, SWap is often a more important factor for the SOF warrior on the go.

equipping the sOF Warriorthe weapons and gear from the rucksack to the ballistic helmet and non-perishable Mres are all important pieces for equipping the SOF warrior.

Non-Lethal Devicespeople tend to think that the world of SOcOM is always shoot to kill; however, there are times when non-lethal devices are preferred.

sOF Medicine and Medical Gearthe SOF combat medic is in a unique place among military medics. SOF medicine also has its own intrinsic demands.

InsertIon order deadlIne: NOVeMber 19, 2014 | ad MaterIals deadlIne: NOVeMber 26, 2014

Lt. Gen. bradley a. HeitholdCommanderaFsOC

COVer aND IN-DeptH INterVIeW WItH:

speCIaL seCtION

the 30th anniversary of the 75th ranger regimentSOtech presents a two-page commemorative historical timeline of the 75th ranger regiment.

bONus DIstrIbutION: SOMa and Special Operations Summit


Q: Could you tell our readers about some of the solutions that Black Diamond Advanced Technology offers to the military and other government contractors?

A: Black Diamond Advanced Technology (BDAT) develops tactical computer, power management and communications systems specifically for use by the dismounted opera-tor. We specialize in systems requiring con-nectivity with multiple pieces of equipment: tactical radios, video receivers, targeting devices, helmet-mounted displays and navi-gation devices. The systems we create provide Mil-STD compliant, all-in-one computing, connectivity, power management and soft-ware solutions. Our currently fielded Modular Tactical System and our recently released APEx Predator System (APS) are excellent examples of this. These systems have primar-ily been used for close air support, target-ing, unmanned vehicle control, situational awareness and explosive ordinance disposal, but are capable of being used in many other applications.

Q: What unique benefits do BDAT products provide customers in comparison with other companies in your field?

A: BDAT products are designed with the complete solution in mind. We offer entire systems, not just parts of a system that have to be pieced together with other components, which oftentimes results in a fragmented cluster that isn’t usable.

First, our products combine battlefield capabilities into fewer devices. Many compet-ing products have separate devices for power management and data distribution. Our APEx system has one device that distributes data as well as power.

Second, we understand that offering wearable computer systems and leaving the operator to figure out how to make it work with their existing nylon wasn’t the best way to make them successful. So we created a line of nylon products: universal radio pouches, customized plate carriers and assault packs with specialized cable-routing features.

Finally, leaving the operator to piece together software wasn’t a winning scenario. BDAT created several software applications to make the operator more efficient and effec-tive: a remote radio control, a video player and our full tactical targeting application, Forward Air Control Utility Suite (FAC-US).

Q: What are some interesting new programs or initiatives at BDAT?

A: BDAT has just recently released two inno-vative products, FAC-Utility Suite and the APEx Predator System. We’re currently devel-oping supporting products for these new systems like peripheral adapters to devices like the Man Portable Unit Generation 4 Wave Relay radio from Persistent Systems and the Tactical Network Rover from L-3. We are also developing a Dead Reckoning Module that will utilize several sensors along with our commercial GPS or a Selective Availability Anti-spoofing Module GPS to provide the operator additional situational awareness.

Q: How is BDAT positioned in the market for expansion?

A: BDAT roots began in hardware design by providing best-in-class hardware solutions to the military and industrial markets. Over the last couple of years, it became very clear that the close air support market was in need of an effective and easy-to-use targeting and situational awareness software application. BDAT answered that call by developing the FAC-Utility Suite, which allows the joint

terminal air controller or tactical air control party to maintain positive situational aware-ness of friendly forces, rack and stack aircraft and deliver precision strikes while on the move. This software development effort has put BDAT in a position to become a more potent competitor among well-known prime integrators.

Q: Can you provide a few success stories?

A: BDAT is currently part of programs of record in the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, the Air National Guard, the Aus-tralian Army Fires Land 17 Program, and the Danish Army Fires Program Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation for Close Air Support systems.

Q: What are BDAT objectives in 2014-15 for the government market?

A: Our objectives are to become a recognized leader in tactical targeting and situational awareness software and to expand our hard-ware market into additional areas of the government and military branches. Programs have been working for years to find a tactical hardware solution to allow squad leaders and above the ability to communicate to both higher and lower echelons. The APEx system is the answer, and BDAT intends to work with program offices to provide the capabilities they need.

Q: Can you describe the challenges that BDAT encounters in the government mar-ket?

A: There are a number of challenges working in the government market, including budgets, schedules and bureaucracy. Funding is short, schedules are long and paperwork is extensive. BDAT has been working in this market for a while and navigates through these chal-lenges as they come. Ultimately, we’re here to support the warfighter, so while the work is difficult, the satisfaction of knowing we are making a difference for the warfighter is the motivation we need to continue. O

inDUStry interVieW Special Operations technology

Norman LangeDirector of Business Development

Black Diamond Advanced Technology


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