Boeing, Army make FCS data breakthrough

ST. LOUIS, March 25 (UPI) -- Boeing has announced a new breakthrough with the U.S. Army in using JTRS Ground Mobile Radios.

Boeing said in a statement Tuesday that working with the U.S. Army it had used software-defined Joint Tactical Radio System Ground Mobile Radios -- JTRS GMR -- to receive data from unattended ground sensors and then send it to nearby vehicles equipped with the Future Combat Systems network integration system.

Boeing said the tests were carried out in a FCS training exercise in January at Fort Bliss, Texas. Information from Tactical-Unmanned Ground Sensors -- T-UGS -- was transmitted through a gateway and successfully picked up by JTRS GMR radios in FCS vehicles.

The JTRS radios were part of the FCS "B-kits" that also have the Integrated Computer System, the Battle Command System software and the System of Systems Common Operating Environment -- SOSCOE -- software. These B-kits are being added to Bradley fighting vehicles, Abrams Main Battle Tanks and High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles.

"Increased situational awareness through information from unattended ground sensors will immediately help soldiers in the field by improving target detection and perimeter defense missions," said Ralph Moslener, Boeing JTRS GMR program director. "JTRS GMR is delivering important transformational networked communications capability at the tactical edge to support information sharing and combat readiness."

In the tests, data was sent 200 yards from the T-UGS to the vehicles. Even vehicles without B-kits could show the situational awareness data on the Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below system.

"It's a great first step in our training and testing plan. By utilizing JTRS GMR, we were able to share information quickly with FCS vehicles and other current-force vehicles," said Charlie Williams, FCS Spin Out 1 program manager for Boeing. "Spin Out 1 is now demonstrating critical capabilities the FCS program is developing for the current force."

Boeing said the new sensors would boost troops' situational awareness, target detection, location, classification and transmission. The T-UGS also have seismic, acoustic and infrared sensors, and should be supplied to U.S. forces beginning this year, the company said.