Elbit Systems of America launched its Future Fighting Vehicle Demonstrator at AUSA based on an M113 chassis with advanced modular armour and sensor systems.
The Elbit vehicle is aimed at US future armoured vehicle Programs including the US Future Infantry Fighting Vehicle Requirement (FIFV) or Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV), manned/unmanned Programs and Robotic Technology Demonstrator Vehicles.
The FFVD (Future Fighting Vehicle Demonstrator) is designed to serve as an independent/networked multispectral sensing and diverse firepower station on the battlefield. The unique technology suite addresses the needs of combat vehicles facing the exponential increase of technological advancements in the modern battlespace, and the challenges of combat scenarios in hybrid and asymmetric warfare.
The FFVD incorporates AI capabilities that enable full situational awareness and fast response to enemy threats while dramatically reducing the crew’s workload. The vehicle provides a clear, intuitive, and comfortable crew environment that enables highly effective vehicle operation and survivability.
ADVANCED HUMAN-MACHINE INTERFACE (HMI)
The two-person crew operates the vehicle from within a glass cockpit using high-resolution touch displays or HMD (Head Mounted Display) and related controllers, in accordance with the mission and crew preferences. Two identical operation posts allow the commander to determine each crew member’s functionality in real-time. Crew members can decide whether to view the battlefield from the hull or the turret perspective depending on the individual task.
MIXED REALITY AND AI CAPABILITIES
The FFVD gathers data from the vehicle’s sensors and BMS (Battle Management Systems), then fuses and extracts information relevant to the vehicle’s mission. EO sensors provide real-time video imagery, and the extracted data is projected as a layer on top of the video with a precise geographical location.
The FFVD offers high levels of autonomy in mission command, sensor allocation, fire control, and driving. The crew can order autonomous action sequences such as sectorial target search and incrimination, target prioritization and firing plan, and off-road driving. Video feeds from external sources, such as Elbit Systems’ THOR sUAS or HattoriX target acquisition system, are accessible to the crew as PIPs (Picture In Picture).
The FFVD’s HMI concept was perfected through extensive tests and trials held by IDF tank commanders. The network infrastructure and data modules were developed to meet NGVA standards.
MUM-T READY: INNOVATIVE COMBAT VEHICLE APPROACH
The system is operated by two crew members located in the vehicle under closed hatches, with a third crew member controlling ground and/or aerial robotic platforms; for example, Elbit Systems’ THOR sUAS or Pioneer Fighting UGV. These optionally integrated systems enhance and multiply the FFVD’s combat capabilities and spatial battle influence without the need to deploy additional personnel into danger zones. The FFVDL is destined to play a lead role in the MUM-T (manned-unmanned teaming) ground battle concept, in which manned and unmanned platforms fight shoulder to shoulder to synergize their capabilities and combine their strengths.
F F V D s u b s y s t e m s
• UT30 unmanned turret (30mm gun)
• 360° situational awareness sensors + IronVision HMDS (Head Mounted Display System)
• STA Mk. II EO situational awareness sensors
• Top view cameras
• Next Gen Multi-Function Displays (Touch Screens)
Aided Target Recognition
M113 Drive By Wire (DBW) Kit
Robotic Kit (including maneuverability engine for autonomous off-road driving)
TORCH BMS System
SupervisIR – Wide FOV Terrain Dominance System
COAPS Commander’s Sight + Advanced Algorithms
eCHR radars (mockups)
MAY Acoustic Fire Detection
THOR sUAS
William Nuckols, Director, Ground Combat Systems Elbit Systems of America told BATTLESPACE that the demonstrator had a suite of 45 different sensors available for deployment on future vehicle Programs.
These included:
IronVision™
‘See-Through’ Head-Mounted Display technology for 360° situational awareness and advanced operation of Armored Fighting Vehicles.
Full 360° Situational Awareness Under Closed Hatches By introducing Elbit Systems’ world-renowned aerospace Helmet-Mounted Display (HMD)technology into the armored vehicle, IronVision generates an image that enables the crew to ‘see through’ the vehicle’s armor. This unparalleled advancement provides 360° situational awareness, day and night, helping the crew overcome inherent visibility limitations, while improving mission efficiency and safety. The system transmits real-time, Zero-Latency™, highresolution video to the commander and/or driver display, providing a natural, bi-ocular, colored HD conformal view of the vehicle’s surroundings, together with relevant symbology and C4 I data. At the click of a button, the video feed can be switched to display weapon sights, UAS video, embedded mission simulator or any other video source. An Intuitive, Conformal Image of the World Outside IronVision is able to utilize pre-loaded terrain and obstacle information, combined with smart, intuitive symbology and data anchoring, to display all the information required, simultaneously to the various crew members. Leading HMD technology and an advanced distortion-correction algorithm eliminate visual distortions and prevent motion sickness that is often caused by the moving armored vehicle. By presenting the crew with a single, unified, intuitive image of the world outside the vehicle, IronVision relieves the crew of the mental load of having to interpret data from multiple sources, allowing them to utilize their situational awareness more efficiently, and focus on the successful completion of their mission, from a secured setting within the armored vehicle.
Enhanced Training Realism By incorporating a layer of advanced Augmented Reality, IronVision can serve as a ‘true-to-life’ training system. The addition of Elbit Systems’ patented ARTIST™ – Augmented Reality Integrated Training System – introduces sophisticated, high-fidelity operational scenarios with extreme combat accuracy. These scenarios present an optimal, cost-effective training method for the operational crew, which until now has only been possible through live training.
Key Features
• Real-time, Zero-Latency™, high-resolution, full-color video feed of the vehicle surroundings
• Seamless 360° line-of-sight
• Training capabilities through AR and VR technology
• Intuitive symbology
• Cost-effective, lightweight and compact
• NVG-like stow mechanism
• Look-Lock-Launch
• Advanced distortion-correction algorithm eliminates visual distortions and prevents motion sickness • Day & Night
Iron Fist Series of Active Protection Systems
High-performance Active Protection Systems against full spectrum of anti-tank threats.
Iron Fist series of Active Protection Systems (APS) delivers high-performance protection against anti-tank threats while increasing the survivability of the platform or vehicle. The series includes a light configuration for armored fighting vehicles (AFV), infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) and logistic vehicles, and a heavier configuration for main battle tanks (MBT). The solutions provide interception of anti-tank threats by precise-detection technologies and capabilities to detect, identify, classify the threat, and respond to hostile fire threats in various engagement scenarios, all without endangering the operators or harming the defending platforms. The Iron Fist APS utilizes a blast interceptor to defeat the threat without initiating its warhead. A game changer in armored vehicle protection: Iron Fist breaks the survivability paradigm of a direct relationship between threat levels to vehicle and ballistic armor weight. The light configuration is specifically designed and optimized for light to medium AFVs, providing highly effective protection and enhancing the survivability of both AFVs and MBTs without adding massive weight or hampering the crew’s operational capabilities in any way.
Iron Fist Series of Active Protection Systems High-performance Active Protection Systems against full spectrum of anti-tank threats
Precision detection and tracking capabilities
Iron Fist’s sensor suite provides unique detection, classification and hostile fire source location against all types of anti-armor threats. The system’s sensor suite uses two sensing technologies, radar and optics for quick, robust and accurate detection, and provides reliable data with a negligible number of false alarms. It automatically detects and identifies a broad range of hostile anti-tank threats including short range RPGs, recoilless rifled ammunition, and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), while the heavier configuration also handles tank rounds such as HEAT and KE. The sensor suite can handle simultaneous, multi-threat scenarios and provides the crew with accurate counter attack capabilities against the launching source.
Threat neutralization
The computerized control unit receives sensor data and calculates the optimal interception point and time for successful threat neutralization. The APS utilizes a blast interceptor for an effective and safe interception process. The small blast warhead is initiated at a safe distance from the defending platform, and counters the threat by producing a shock-wave effect at a precisely calculated location and time. This results in the destruction of the threat without initiation of its warhead and the creation of a jet formation with minimal residual effects.
Best-in-class SWaP The Iron Fist APS are specifically designed to accommodate the constraints of lighter platforms and can be integrated on a wide variety of combat vehicles. The light and compact units offer ease of integration, maintenance, and calibration. It can be installed as an add-on to a pre-prepared platform without adding to the vehicle’s major weight burden, and has a minimal impact on the vehicle’s external silhouette. On-board systems integration The Iron Fist series fully integrates with existing systems such as battle management systems (BMS), fire control systems (FCS), and Elbit Systems’ ‘see through armor’ Iron Vision technology. The APS solution does not impede or limit the range of operations of these critical systems, and effectively augments their functionality. The sensor suite enhances the platform’s situational awareness capabilities, while providing 360° day/night surveillance sight and hostile fire detection (HFD) from its sensors up to gunshot fire and small arms bursts detection.
Key Features
• Modular, compact design compatible with various platforms
• Two independent sensing techniques: RF and passive IR
• Minimal integration constraints
• Miss-to-kill concept – minimal collateral damage
• Energy-efficient
• Optional soft-kill jammer against ATGM
Key Benefits
• Increases survivability of AFVs against antitank threats
• Effective against all types of anti-armor threats
• 360° coverage for sight surveillance and situational awareness
• Enables open hatch operations
• Lightweight, small form with minimal burden on vehicle
• Easy integration – quick mounting and dismounting
SupervisIR EO/IR system
An advanced EO/IR system that gives access to IR Wide Area Persistent Surveillance (WAPS)Tactical, versatile IR persistent wide area ISTAR system for coastal and border applications. The system provides real-time IR panoramic situational awareness including simultaneous surveillance and automatic tracking of all maritime activity on the scene. SupervisIR ™, based on a breakthrough patent-pending IR technology, enables the user to visually monitor a large area and gather critical decision-making information. It fully supports activity-based intelligence with forensic capabilities.
Key Features
Facilitates 24/7 wide area surveillance using passive IR
technology that offers a panoramic view of 90°X12.5°
• Recording and playback capabilities for forensic
investigation
• Automatic detection and tracking
• High resolution region of interest (ROI) in multiple
video windows
THOR sUAS
The THOR VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) Mini-UAS is a low altitude multi-rotor platform, designed for a wide range of surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Built from the ground up, THOR features a real-time HD data link and unique control software. This powerful platform can be deployed almost anywhere and in a wide range of weather and terrain conditions. With an automatic takeoff and landing capability and autonomous mission flights, THOR is suitable for operation in urban areas with non-line-of-sight communication, as well as in marine zones.
Key Features
Covert operation – the air vehicle is electrically
propelled and features
• Extremely low acoustic and visual signatures
• Versatile – a wide array of payloads including EO/IR
and COMINT
• Advanced mission features – handover between
ground stations, remote video terminals
• Simple to operate – fully autonomous from takeoff to
landing
Laser Warning Systems
Many combat operations in the modern battlefield involve laser radiation. Detection of military laser threats enhances platform survivability and situational awareness, improving mission effectiveness.
Operational Benefits
Detects, categorizes and pinpoints all military laser
threats
• Supreme sensitivity allows early detection from long
distance
• High detection probability and low false-alarm rate
• Easily integrates with a range of advanced
countermeasures
Technical Specifications
Direction Accuracy = up to 2°
• Spectral Range: 0.5 microns to 1.6 microns
UT30MK2 & MT30 Unmanned and Manned Turrets
Combat-proven firepower for armored personnel carriers, fully overhead without compromising troop safety.
Elbit Systems’ UT30MK2 is a configurable unmanned turret, adding highly effective firepower to armored personnel carriers (APCs) without compromising troop safety. Based on the success of our fully combat-proven turrets in use by numerous armed forces around the world, the UT30MK2 is the latest generation turret system developed by Elbit Systems. The modular design enables unmanned and manned turret configurations with easy conversion. Designed with a very low profile, the UT30MK2 encompasses a broad range of weapon systems, countermeasures and advanced electro-optics, all developed in-house, to deliver reliable, high performance firepower on the battlefield.
Configurable for maximum effectiveness: The UT30MK2 armament includes the ATK MK44 ABM 30 mm gun and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun delivering the highest first-round and burst hit probability on the market. ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missiles) are fully integrated with the Turret and Turret Fire Control System, Laser Warning System (LWS) and optional Smoke Grenade Launcher System (SGL). The turret’s modular design enables other armament alternatives to be supported and integrated. Armor-protected for crew safety: Fully overhead with no deck penetration, the UT30MK2 does not compromise the vehicle’s armor protection and preserves existing space within the vehicle. The UT30MK2 provides enhanced situational awareness under closed hatches and is easily adaptable to a wide range of new and existing vehicles. With electro-optics designed specifically for land applications and full ballistic protection, the UT30MK2 offers under-armor reload capability, back-up operation and immediate action capabilities. High performance firepower: The dual-axis stabilized UT30MK2 is designed for firing on both stationary and on-the-move targets. The advanced fire control system enables effective day, night and all-weather operations. The option of individual gunner and panoramic commander sights – each independently stabilized – enables hunterkiller capability. Adding to its effectiveness, the unmanned turret is also fully air burst munition (ABM) capable and operational. Combat-proven: Elbit Systems is a world leader in the area of unmanned turrets. The company’s combat-proven solutions are integrated in a range of infantry fighting vehicles in use by numerous armed forces around the world (NATO and others). Unmanned and manned configurations: The UT30MK2 can be easily converted to the manned configuration. All subsystems are identical and deliver full modularity and equivalent capabilities. This option enables the customer to tailor a manned or unmanned solution for its platform fleet.
Advanced Modular Armour Systems
As well as these advanced sensor systems the demonstrator also had a suite of modular armour which allows changes and additions to be made in the field by service teams. The modular armour segments can be delivered to front line troops for immediate changes and/or additions to the vehicle without the requirement for return to the Base Workshop.
William Nuckols said that in the development of the system a number of lessons had been learnt from the Elbit development work on the Israeli Merkava vehicle and the Australian turret offerings for Land 400.