28 Feb 03. The French Procurement Agency (DGA) (1) has awarded a simulation contract to an industrial consortium led by Thales Training & Simulation, including Thales Communications and Giat Industries, for the production of a system architecture and concept evaluation tool, SIM-EC3. The first application will be to support the development of the French ‘Bulle Operationelle Aeroterrestre’ (BOA) (2) system.
The simulation system will provide a full synthetic environment to support evaluation of the candidate designs for the French future combat vehicle (EC3).
The consortium will integrate the technical capability of Thales and GIAT industries in an integrated project management team as follows:
– Thales Training & Simulation will supply the infrastructure and operating system for SIM-EC3 and modelling of the natural environment, based on the Thales CGF (SETHI) and 2D and 3D display tools.
– Thales Communications will supply models covering the C4ISR domain (Command, Control, Communication, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) and human factors aspects.
– Giat Industries will supply models covering firing and protection of combat platforms, will contribute to the construction of mobility and non-functional models and definition of the evaluation metrics for differing candidate architectures.
Under this contract several facilities will be supplied with SIM-EC3 including the CAD(3) and CTA(4) teams in Arcueil and the ETAS(5) teams in Angers.
This contract will continue to develop the role of Thales as a leading force in SBA and system definition of network centric systems for air and land.
(1) DGA (STTC / SC) – Direction des Systèmes de Force et de la Prospective – Service des Stratégies Techniques et de Technologies Communes.
(2) BOA – Cooperative Fighting System
(3) CAD – Centre d’Analyse de la Défense.
(4) CTA – Centre Technique d’Arcueil.
(5) ETAS – Etablissement Technique d’Angers
The principle of the BOA Cooperative Fighting System (CFS) is based on the combined action of a series of participants (personnel, vehicles, robots and drones) which will communicate, observe, provide information and take action by calling on existing and future technologies.
This innovative concept was conceived by the DGA in close collaboration with the French Army. It was designed to meet the latest military requirements by drawing on emerging technological capabilities.
The CFS is designed for light armoured vehicles (in the 18-25 tonne range) with their own weaponry (guns, missiles, etc). The intelligence and combat robots and drones will give it the CFS an extended capability for observation and intervention. This offers the most appropriate response to the threat that has been detected. The essential principle is based on networking of all types of sensors (visible or infrared imaging, radar, etc.) and means of intervention, so that each participant can have access to the tactical situation data and, in turn, play a part in the response.
NEWS IN BRIEF
28 Feb 03