This PDF file contains the front matter associated with SPIE Proceedings Volume 10281, including the Title Page, Copyright information, Table of Contents, and Conference Committee listing.

The Advanced Vehicle Technologies (AVT) Program focuses and integrates a series of Advanced Technology Demonstrations (ATDs) aimed at lightening and digitizing future armored/mounted forces for Force XXI. Force modernization potential of ATDs and relevant DoD-Wide vehicle technology developments in advanced optics, countermeasures, and electronics, coupled with common inter-vehicular communication, will demonstrate combat maneuver force deployability and fightability. AVT vehicular technology underway includes: System/ATD integration and simulation overviews, hit avoidance, command and control, target acquisition, advanced crew stations, standard open electronic architecture, electric drive, active suspension, reduced crew driving aids, collision avoidance, robotic convoy, and Single Channel Ground Airborne Radio Systems(SINCGARS) based remote control. These technologies substantially contribute to the Army's Strategic Objectives described above.

The Advanced Vehicle Technologies is the ground vehicle focus of the Department of Defense Land Combat strategy. The objective is to demonstrate the feasibility and potential of lighter, more lethal and survivable ground combat vehicles. Seven individual programs supported by parallel system effectiveness simulations make up the AVT program. Four types of modeling and simulation will be employed in support of the AVT program: engineering models, constructive simulation, distributed simulation, and virtual reality prototyping. A combat simulation analysis is being conducted to explore new concepts. The AVT program supports the Force XXI efforts by participating in the Louisiana Maneuvers, Battle Lab experiments, Horizontal Technology Integration programs, and Synthetic Theater of War programs.

The Hybrid Electric Drive Active Suspension HMMWV integrates a Pentastar Hybrid Electric Drive and a Lotus Active Suspension System into a modified HMMWV, for missions that require capabilities beyond those of a standard HMMWV. This vehicle combines the improved off road mobility of a fully active suspension system, with the numerous additional capabilities of the hybrid electric drive system. The hybrid electric drive system enables the HMMWV to perform a variety of new missions such as; manned surveillance-stealth operations, unmanned-robotic surveillance and reconnaissance, advanced weapon system platform for systems requiring more electric power than available from a standard HMMWV, and forward area high quality power source.

Active and semiactive suspension systems have been a major research area for the last three decades. In the last ten years this research has spawned various experimental vehicles and finally even production applications of active and semiactive systems. The majority of the work has been to support commercial, and primarily on-road vehicle applications. This paper discusses the potential impact of this technology on military vehicles and describes the numerous recent activities within the US Army to extend the technology to enhance the off-road mobility of combat vehicles. Comparative field trial results are included along with simulation results for as yet untested vehicle configurations.

Mature and emerging commercial technologies for crash detection, and vehicle driver's control aids are evaluated to assess their near term potential for use on military vehicles. The conclusion is that Collision Warning Systems, show potential for reducing the frequency of some of the common types of military vehicle accidents, especially during formation driving or convoys. To determine benefits, an emphasis is placed on the potential for projected cost savings realized from fewer accidents and personnel injuries. This approach best illustrates the advantages of trying to incorporate off -the- shelf commercial products for military use. If such a safety product could reduce overall operating expense , its introduction may be warranted without fortification of the component to meet Military Specifications.

A robotic convoy consists of a lead vehicle and following vehicles. The lead vehicle is either manually driven or driven through teleoperation from a fixed base station or a mobile base station located in one of the convoy followers. The lead vehicle automatically maps the path it is driving using integrated global and local sensing and navigation systems, and transmits this information back to the following vehicles. The following vehicles use their own sensing, without human intervention, to follow the same path as the lead vehicle. This paper will discuss the technologies involved in robotic convoy, the capabilities achieved with this technology and future applications involving robotic convoy.

The focus of this paper is to describe the development of a standard digital vehicular architecture. This paper chronicles the approach from “hard” standardization of a vehicle architecture, to the use of interface standards for both hardware and software.

The CAC2 ATD is a brigade and below command and control (C2) concept which leverages existing and emerging technologies to address goals of improving battle management, force synchronization, and situation awareness, through battlefield digitization. The ongoing objective of this concept is to automate and digitally integrate all friendly forces on the battlefield by providing an information-based digital system architecture at brigade and below to support horizontal and vertical integration capabilities that yield shared situation awareness, battlefield synchronization, and near real time target handover capabilities. The primary objective is to evolve and demonstrate a digital Systems Architecture, that supports the Army Battlefield Digitization goals, by providing near term Modeling and Simulation (MandS) and software products to support digitization Army Warfighting Experiments (AWEs) including Task Force XXI a live experiment scheduled at Fort Hood in 1997. The concept will be continually advanced by integrating new systems, technologies and tactics, as they evolve, into the iterative processes of analysis, modeling, simulation and demonstrations.

Rotorcraft designed for reconnaissance and light attack missions provide an opportunity to acquire tactical advantage on the future digital battlefield. Their proximity to the battlefield offers the unique potential to both filter and prioritize digital battlefield data with human intelligence. However, as communications hub, rotorcraft information processing is particularly challenging. This paper examines mission requirements for rotorcraft on the digital battlefield, and how those requirements have created the information processing challenges evident today.

This paper suggests an approach for applying data fusion techniques to address those information processing challenges. Types and formats of stored on-board data are examined with emphasis on digital map overlay data. In addition, this paper briefly describes the roles of collateral technologies, such as mission equipment package design and simulation, within the development of rotorcraft information processing solutions.

The vision for the digitized battlefield has implications for all battlefield aircraft. The recent downing of two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters illustrates the importance of the digitized battlefield in providing situational awareness that could help avert friendly fire incidents. Utility helicopters including medium lift assault transports must become an integral part of the digitized battlefield for the vision to succeed.

The Rapid Force Projection Initiative Technology Program is a major Science and Technology program which will evaluate and demonstrate advanced technology products for early entry force application. The RFPI melds a system of multispectral forward sensors (Hunters), robust command, control and communications (C3), and advanced weapons (Standoff Killers) into an integrated force which is effective and survivable against heavy armor. The RFPI serves as a conduit to insert Science and Technology products into the U.S. Army, drawing upon the resources of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command battle Labs and extensive troop involvement during technology evaluation and demonstration, which acts to assure rapid acceptance of new solutions for light forces. This paper summarizes these efforts.

The U.S. Army Missile Command has been given the responsibility for executing the of the Rapid Force Projection Initiative (RFPI) Technology Program. Additionally, several of the standoff killer (weapon) systems are being developed through the MICOM at Redstone Arsenal, AL, and the Program Executive Office for Tactical Missiles. This paper will provide an overview of the U.S. Army MICOM and PEO TM efforts in support of the RFPI Technology Program and the RFPI Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACID).

CECOM technology efforts in support of the RFPI program are presented in this paper. RFPI, a system of systems, will provide early entry light forces with a suite of state-of-the-art sensors and weapons coupled with the command and control capabilities necessary to defeat an enemy armor threat at extended ranges. CECOM’s principal participation in RFPI is through four ATDs/TDs, three sensor-oriented demonstrations and one command and control demonstration. This paper describes, for each technology demonstration, the RFPI requirements to be satisfied, CECOM’s analysis and design approach, and demonstration objectives. RFPI is also a significant participant in Army battlefield digitization efforts associated with the achievement of FORCE XXI objectives. CECOM’s role and goals in support of these efforts are also discussed.

Remote control of the Ml Abrahms Main Battle Tank through a minefield breach operation will remove the vehicle crew from the inherent hazard. A successful remote control system will provide automotive control yet not impair normal operation. This requires a minimum of physical parts, and an unobtrusive installation. Most importantly, a system failure must not impair the regular operation as a manned system. The system itself need not be complex. A minefield breach only requires simple control of automotive function and a mine plow interface. Control hardware for the Ml-Al can be reduced to two linear actuators, an electrical interface for the engine control unit, an interface for the mine plow, and the associated cables. Communication between vehicle control and operator control takes place over the vehicles organic radio (typically SINCGARS). This helps reduce the number of special purpose components for the remote control device. The device is currently awaiting an automotive safety test to prepare for its safety release.

Because of the specific nature of the MDL-STD 1553-B data bus the device will not control an M1-A2 Main Battle Tank. The architecture will allow control of the M1-A2 through the 1553-B data bus however the physical hardware has not been constructed. The control scheme will not change. The communication interface will provide greater flexibility when interfacing to the vehicle tactical radio. Operational utility will be determined by U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command personnel. The obvious benefit is that if a remote tank is lost during a minefield breach the crew is saved.

The Army is developing advanced sensor modules and an integrated sight to fully exploit new weapon systems and evolving fighting concepts. The Integrated Sight Modules Program integrates a thermal imager, a miniature laser rangefinder, an electronic compass and an infrared (IR) pointer into a single system capable of providing standard signal output to video displays, storage, and transmission devices. The modules will provide technology to a number of current and future programs including the Objective Individual Combat Weapon, Objective Crew Served Weapon, Forward Observer/Forward Air Controller, and Light-Weight Laser Designator- Rangefinder. Improved sensors are essential for advanced fire control devices using bursting munitions due to the need to precisely place rounds on target. The Integrated Sight is the fire control system for the 21st Centuiy Land Warrior Top Level Demonstration. In addition to being a weapon sight, it will allow the Individual Soldier to initiate automated calls for fire. The Integrated Sight is being developed in two phases: individual modules are currently being developed in FY94-95 and an integrated sight will be developed in FY96-97 for testing in FY98. This paper discusses the program's purpose, status, and key technologies.

The Rapid Force Projection Initiative (RFPI) is a Technology Program which encompasses the development and test of advanced technologies which will be applied to solutions for the U.S. Army early entry forces. The RFPI hunter/standoff killer concept is a new operational concept for the U.S. Army which focuses on a "system of systems" composed of forward sensors (hunters) and advanced technology weapon systems (standoff killers). These elements will be integrated through a robust command, control, and communications (C3) architecture within the current brigade force structure. To develop a proper integration architecture, a series of progressive tests and simulation activities are envisioned. This approach, coupled with extensive simulation efforts, is based on the Model - Test - Model philosophy. The initial test, the RFPI Early Version Demonstration (EVD), was held at Redstone Arsenal, AL, in September 1994.

The EVD demonstrated hunter-standoff killer connectivity, rapid target acquisition and data transfer over the current brigade communications asset, and the integration of forward sensors with Army weapon systems into the RFPI "system of systems". EVD further provided the user community with an early opportunity to see the RFPI system of systems concept in operation. Through the use of surrogates of developmental technologies, not sufficiently mature to support field testing, participants had the opportunity to exercise their systems against a typical opposing force. This paper discusses the conduct and results of the EVD, provides preliminary user responses to the demonstration of this new operational concept, and provides insights into the planned RFPI Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) Advanced Warfighting Experiment.

This paper discusses the simulation activities used to support the planning and implementation of the Rapid Force Projection Initiative (RFPI) Early Version Demonstration (EVD) exercise, the particular uses of a variety of simulations, and the relation of the EVD simulation program to the overall RFPI program simulation architecture. In addition to these topics, a brief description is presented of the U.S. Army Missile Command simulation facilities used in support of the RFPI program.