ITT ADDS OPTIONS FOR CENTAUR
By Adam Baddeley, Deputy Editor, BATTLESPACE

15 Sep 05. ITT have selected SITAWARE as their off-the-shelf battle management system (BMS) for their Centaur communication system. The Danish system, developed by the Aarhus-based Systematic Software Engineering, is being offered by ITT UK as an alternative to the Irish-sourced S-TBMS solution offered by their US parent as an option for their ATCS radios.

In other Centaur news, ITT UK launched two new products at DSEi designed for the export market that could be fed back into Bowman. The VHF Portable –Export (VP-E) consisting of a docking station for the VHF Portable Radio/PRC-354 carried in the webbing and hosting a wireless card linked to the radio’s hand held control panel, eliminating wiring. Further reductions in wiring, thus creating a better ergonomic fit, for the dismounted soldier is the removal of the GPS antenna, currently situated on the left shoulder in the Bowman ensemble and placing it just above the antenna gooseneck. ITT confirmed that they are in active discussions with Rockwell Collins to use the new MPE-HS GPS solution in Centaur. Further refinements to the VP-E mean that the changes are weight neutral.

For the mounted role, ITT have created the 5W Vehicle Mount for the PRC-354/VHF Portable Radio for light vehicles and providing a cost effective means bringing in the situational awareness picture using a Terralogic tablet computer mounted on a Land Rover dashboard on its stand. The ‘herk and jerk’ radio allows the user to switch to dismounted use in less than a minute. ITT are also well advanced in producing a 20W mount for the system.

Both new developments were funded using the company own money and the company added that the MoD were looking at both these developments in detail to potential feedback into Bowman.

The ITT facility as Basingstoke will add a new role later this year with ITT Night Vision using the site as the base for maintenance for AN/PVS-14 image intensification sights in service with the UK. There is a plan to develop this capability as a regional hub in Europe, potentially adding an ability to undertake assembly in the future.