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Italijanski program:
Selex future soldier to march in Italian Army
By Ian Kemp, Special Correspondent
Paris
Selex Communications, a Finmeccanica company, is displaying the prototype Soldato Futuro (Future Soldier) system which it is developing for the Italian Army.
The service is scheduled to complete a 12 month evaluation of three prototype Soldato Futuro systems, configured for a team leader, rifleman and grenadier, in September. In the following industrialisation phase of the project the army will receive 30 pre-series production systems by the end of 2008 and a further 62 improved sets by mid-2009.
For evaluation by the army’s Unità Sperimentale Digitalizzata (USD/Digital Experimental Unit) in Altamura these will be configured for eight-man squads within a 40-strong dismounted infantry platoon and six-man dismounted squads within a 32-strong mechanised infantry platoon. The unit is equipped with Ariete main battle tanks, Dardo infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) and Centauro armoured reconnaissance vehicles equipped with the SICCONA C2 system developed by Selex Communications and Oto Melara, another Finmeccanica company, and with the new 8 x 8 Freccia IFV, the army’s first new-build digitised platform. The first Freccia has been delivered to the USD and a platoon should be equipped by the end of the year.
Soldato Futuro is designed to improve the capabilities of the infantry soldier in the five key areas of C4I, lethality, protection, mobility and sustainability. Within the team prime contractor Selex Communications is responsible for overall systems integration, command and control software, Individual Pocket Radio and the Universal Support Module. The team also includes Aero Sekur (CBRN protection), Beretta (weapon system), Selex Galileo (handheld and weapon-mounted target acquisition systems), Larimart (command and control hardware) and Sistemi Compositi (helmet, clothing, protection system and Universal Support Module). Selex Galileo and Larimart are both also Finmeccanica companies.
The heart of the C2 system will be a Larimart computer worn strapped on the soldier’s forearm; squad leaders will have a 4 inch touch screen while platoon and company commanders will be equipped with a larger 8 inch screen. Users will be able to view digital maps and other images, and send pre-formatted and free text messages. The computer is linked by Bluetooth and cable to the batteries and GPS worn on the back of every soldier’s ‘e-vest’.
Soldiers can view images from the computer on the NIMOS Night Mobility Subsystem which consists of a modular helmet mounted display integrated with a low light level digital TV camera mounted on the side of the helmet. For communications within the squad soldiers will use the Individual Pocket Radio which operates in the 800-900 MHz range and has a range of 1,300m. Commanders will have a Selex Communications broadband radio which will enable the transmission of video and other data.
Beretta has developed the ARX 160 5.56 mm assault rifle and GRX 160 40mm single shot underbarrel grenade launcher (UGL) to replace the Beretta AR 70/90 5.56mm assault rifles now in service. The new weapon features a folding telescopic (four position) buttstock and the choice of three barrel lengths - 254mm (10 inches), 304.8mm (12 inches) and 406.4mm (16 inches) - for different missions. SELEX Galileo has developed the Aspis Individual Combat Weapon Sight which incorporates a daylight colour TV camera with an 8.8 x 6.6˚ FoV, an IR camera working in the 8-12 µm band with an 320 x 240 uncooled sensor with a 17.9 x 13.5˚ FoV, a visible and an IR laser pointer, and a red-dot battle sight with x 1 magnification. For use with the GRX 160 Galileo Avionica has developed the Scorpio Grenade Launcher Fire Control System which incorporates an integral laser range finder and ballistic computer allowing grenades to be accurately delivered out to 400 m. The army intends to equip two grenadiers in each squad with the GRX 160.
Commanders will be equipped with the handheld Linx target acquisition system which incorporates an IR camera working in the 8-12 µm band with 320 x 240 uncooled sensor with a 8.8 x 6.6˚ FoV, a colour daylight TV camera with an 8.8 x 6.6˚ FoV, a 4,000m range laser rangefinder, a digital compass and a GPS receiver. The Linx weighs 2.35 kg including batteries. Images can be transmitted to other Futuro Soldato-equipped the other soldiers.
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