Looking for cuts?

Ouch. This report says:

"Every year since 1996, the Army has spent more than $1 billion annually on programs that were ultimately cancelled. Since 2004, including FCS, $3.3B to $3.8B, or 35% to 42%, per year of Army DT&E funding has been lost to cancelled programs. The Army cannot afford to continue losing funds in this manner."

(via Battleland)

Marauder

I've been receiving press releases from South African based Paramount Group about their Marauder vehcile being featured on BBC's Top Gear program. Apparently the Marauder battled it out against a normal HMMWV and survived a staged IED attack. See more on the release here. Good stuff.

Soldier as a System

Last in a short series on PEO Soldier, if nothing else you have to check out the very cool interactive application showing the soldier as a system, in its varied functional forms. 

Power Dilemma

PEO Soldier calls it the Power Dilemma. One of the critical technological challenges underpinning soldier modernization is the requirement for reliable, portable power systems to fuel all the high-tech electronic systems that land forces carry in combat. Some of the solutions currently being deployed and tested by the PM-Ground Soldier program include:

• 300 Watt Propane and Methanol Fuel Cells – provides power to the squad or platoon and can be carried in the Soldier’s rucksack
• XX55 Methanol Fuel Cells – provides power to the individual, team or squad and can be mounted and carried on the IOTV or in an assault pack
• Rucksack Enhanced Portable Power System – solar energy power system that provides power to the individual or team and can be carried in the assault pack
• Soldier Power Manager with Solar Blanket – solar powered, energy harvesting power management and distribution system that can be carried in the assault pack

Nocturnal Ownership, Puke Rays

Here is a Danger Room post on technologies being developed by the Directorate of Science and Technology at Special Operations Command. Among the priorities are enhancements to nightime operations such as heat signature cloaking and advanced battlefield sensors, and also more sub-lethal weapons along the lines of tasers and "puke-rays" -- or what is called “extended duration incapacitation."

I also noticed on the SOCOM site that they have their own dedicated soldier tech program, called SOF Warrior, "a portfolio that includes over 83 programs with an investment budget of over $1.1 billion of MFP-11 funds..." Main areas of development are Ammunition & Demolition, Ground Mobility, Individual Equipment, Weapons Systems, and Visual Augmentation Systems.

Soldier Technology

Soldier Technology is one of the most exciting and interesting markets in the global defense industry. It seems that no other sector brings together more international entities under single or related technology platforms -- many being rapidly fielded directly into real-world tactical environments. The technologies being developed fall into a number of explosive parallel commercial markets, like mobile computing & communincations, battery and wearable power, knowledge management & complex event processing, and advanced materials. 

That's why it's so unfortunate that I will be unable to attend the Soldier Technology 2011 conference in London this 7-10 June. Sounds like a great event:

Soldier Technology brings together over 600 soldier modernisation programme managers and experts in a unique soldier systems industry forum. The event comprises 55+ in-depth presentations on pressing soldier modernisation issues, 4 interactive workshops, a fully interactive exhibition with 40+ exhibitors displaying the latest soldier systems and equipment. The event is running for the 10th time in 2011 and has become the industry's annual meeting place.

Get the full agenda here.

Want to build new Company Command Post?

The Army has released a pre-RFP for a new Company Command Post System. For (roughly) $400M the PM for Command Post Systems & Integration (CPS&I) hopes industry can deliver a net-centric supportable, tent-based, trailer mounted, modular & reconfigurable platform with the capability for 2 separate LAN's (up to 9 servers), VOIP (monitoring up to 64 channels), support to 13 different tactial radio types (sidebar: there are 13 different tactical radio types?!), large screen displays, and up to 32 user/operation stations. It will support operations on 3 tiers:

Tier 1: Dismounted Operations in Complex, Restrictive Terrain

Tier 2: Operations Supported with Wheeled, Armored, or Mechanized Forces

Tier 3: Operations from a Secure Forward Operating Base (FOB)

Another interesting Army RFP -- seems relatively open-ended and specifically tailored for immediate fielding into real-world tactical environments. Motivated by curiosity and/or ignorance, the following questions come to mind:

>>> What is it about the current tent-based, modular system(s) that falls short of CPS&I's thoughtful and informed requirements?

>>> Does it seem remarkable that a system like this is not already fielded? I mean, before we build another fighter jet should we not spend some time and money to get Company Commanders an integrated view of their increasingly dispersed and complex operations on the battlefield?

>>> Maybe it is built into some of the technical specs, but there is no visible mention of the capability to support data and operations of new distributed systems like UAV, UGV. Not important?

Military Equipment Guide

Researching a few previous posts here, I have noticed the genuinely outstanding equipment database available at Military.com. Covering the categories below, the guides have detailed descriptions, pictures, and in some cases video. You can also follow equipment news and review on the companion Kit Up! blog.  

• Aircraft
• Ships & Subs
• Ground Vehicles
• Weapons
• Ordnance
• Individual Equipment
• Electronic Equipment
• Foreign Equipment

Very impressive and a great reference.

Want to design the next Ground Combat Vehicle?

There's a good post on Danger Room about the ongoing, highly open-ended solicitation for the next Ground Combat Vehicle. The Army wants 1,800 of them in 7 years, for less than $450M and $10M per vehicle. Beyond that, and some rough acquisition priorities, they are open to ideas.

"The Ground Combat Vehicle is a relatively blank canvas. Does it have to have treads or wheels? What kind of gun should it have, if any at all? How fast should it go? What kind of communications capabilities? The answer: Shrug. Up to you, buddy."

So if this is the kind of thing you do on the side, you can download the RFP here and get to work. First round proposals are due 21 Jan.

Article Series on Military Vehicles

There is a good series of articles over at IDGA on ground combat and other tactical vehicles. The one linked here covers as follows:

The nature of the wars in OIF and OEF have impacted military vehicle design and requirement more than any time since WWII.  The massive terrain differences in Afghanistan and Iraq and the varying missions of the Army and Marine Corps call for highly specialized vehicles.

See the right menu on the same page for additional articles and reports.