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17 Sep 18. EPE, Thales and D13 to Integrate C-UAS capability into Bushmasters. At the Land Forces Exhibition in Adelaide, EPE, Thales and Department 13 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) following successful integration of the MESMER Counter Drone solution into the Bushmaster. The MOU outlines the intent for this solution to provide an interim cyber capability for the vehicle platform. Drones have become a persistent and pervasive threat to deployed members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), with insurgents using cheap commercial drones to survey defensive positions, assess the disposition of troops as well as deliver munitions and IED’s with disturbing ease and accuracy. Troops deploying from Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) need the ability to deny enemies the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) without impacting friendly radio frequencies (RF). This has prompted EPE, Department 13 and Thales to integrate the MESMER Counter UAS (C-UAS) capability into the Bushmaster as an innovative prototype being displayed at the Land Forces Conference in Adelaide. The Thales Bushmaster is combat proven, offering high protection and mobility. It has been successfully deployed by three armies on operations in the Middle East, Africa and Pacific. On-going design enhancements, a wide range of user selectable mission equipment and mature through life support have ensured that Bushmaster continues to offer leading capability to meet emerging threats and evolving customer requirements. The Thales Integral Computing System (ICS) is an example of this, implementing a network-based architecture to centrally host all applications in the vehicle and enable the integration of new technologies to combat evolving threats.
Warwick Penrose, EPE Director said ‘The integration of the MESMER Counter Drone capability into the Bushmaster completed in 3 weeks demonstrates that EPE and Thales can successfully work together to meet tight deadlines. The success of this prototype further supports our short-term plans to establish an advanced manufacturing capacity in Australia to deliver sovereign capability.’
MESMER employs protocol manipulation techniques to manage a single or swarm of UAS. It detects and identifies drone signals using Radio Frequency (RF) protocol signatures. Protocol manipulation then enables MESMER to take advantage of weaknesses inherent in digital radio systems allowing safe mitigation of threats. This low power, surgical approach has several advantages over kinetic energy or jamming techniques, both of which can have collateral impacts on untargeted nearby assets and friendly RF systems. MESMER’s software defined architecture allows it to be constantly updated in response to evolutions in current UAS threats and emerging capabilities. This flexible software defined architecture also enables it to be seamlessly integrated into the Thales ICS.
(Source: UAS VISION)
12 Sep 18. Supacat unveils HMT 600 `Coyote` in mobile Anti-UAV role – mounted with operationally proven AUDS Anti-UAV Defence System. UK special operations vehicle developer, Supacat, is displaying its HMT 600 tactical support vehicle, best known as `Coyote`, in an anti-UAV defence role for the first time at DVD. It will be installed with AUDS (Anti-UAV defence system), the only operationally proven counter drone system, supplied by Chess Dynamics and the AUDS Team.
In November an AUDS mounted `Coyote` will participate in `Autonomous Warrior- the 2018 Army Warfighting Experiment’, which will test how Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) can be exploited in the Land Environment and assess their ability to reduce the danger to troops during combat.
“This is a further example of the flexibility of the HMT platform, which can be reconfigured to integrate the latest technology and enhance capability for our armed forces on the modern battlefield,” said Phil Applegarth, Head of Supacat.
The Coyote mounted AUDS is the latest collaboration in a long standing relationship between Supacat and fellow UK SME, Chess Dynamics, and demonstrates the agility of both UK companies in coming together to deliver battle ready solutions that fill a capability gap.
“We are both innovative, high technology British SMEs of similar size and geared to responding at speed to customer requirements. We both build world beating products in Britain that are successful abroad, making exports a central focus for our businesses”, said Applegarth.
AUDS is in service with the US forces in both its field mast configuration and has also been installed on Stryker vehicles. It has over 700 confirmed “kills” and has been on continuous combat operations since it deployed almost 2 years ago. It is designed to disrupt and neutralise unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) engaged in hostile airborne surveillance and potentially lethal activity.
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Blighter® Surveillance Systems (BSS) is a UK-based electronic-scanning radar and sensor solution provider delivering an integrated multi-sensor package to systems integrators comprising the Blighter electronic-scanning radars, cameras, thermal imagers, trackers and software solutions. Blighter radars combine patented solid-state Passive Electronic Scanning Array (PESA) technology with advanced Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) and Doppler processing to provide a robust and persistent surveillance capability. Blighter Surveillance Systems is a Plextek Group company, a leading British design house and technology innovator, and is based at Great Chesterford on the outskirts of Cambridge, England.
The Blighter electronic-scanning (e-scan) FMCW Doppler ground surveillance radar (GSR) is a unique patented product that provides robust intruder detection capabilities under the most difficult terrain and weather conditions. With no mechanical moving parts and 100% solid-state design, the Blighter radar family of products are extremely reliable and robust and require no routine maintenance for five years. The Blighter radar can operate over land and water rapidly searching for intruders as small a crawling person, kayaks and even low-flying objects. In its long-range modes the Blighter radar can rapidly scan an area in excess of 3,000 km² to ensure that intruders are detected, identified and intercepted before they reach critical areas.
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