Mil-Tech

Laser Weapons Will Replace Existing Systems In The IAF

At the “Energy: The Challenge of the Future” Conference in an IAF base, Maj. General Ido Nechushtan informed: “To win, we’ll have to invent things before we even know them”.

The Conference on Energy: The Challenge of the Future was held this week at an Israeli Air Force base in Herzliya as part of a program created to develop solutions to problems presented by the Corps. Maj. Gen. Ido Nechushtan, Commander of the Israeli Air Force participated in the meeting along with Brig. Gen. Rami Ben Efraim and hundreds of Air Force officers. Various scholars lectured on different subjects related to energy issues that the Corps deals with.

Air Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Ido Nechushtan informed that, “technology creates solutions to challenges and requires us to find solutions to new problems. In our reality, those who think better and faster, have an advantage in the battlefield.”

“It is important that we continue to develop technologies that we have yet to invent. We must develop new technologies” said, Maj. Gen. Ido Nechushtan.

Potential Anti-Aircraft Laser

Maj. Gen. (res.) Prof. Isaac Ben-Israel, former head of the Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure (Maf’at) and current chairperson of the Space Authority, gave a lecture on energy issues familiar to his previous work as head of the Maf’at. He informed that, “When you look at 2010, short-range missiles are the threats that the world is dealing with today. The IDF knows the technology for intercepting short range rockets very well, and now laser technology and electromagnetic weapons can be used to intercept short range missiles.”

Prof. Ben-Israel expanded on his remarks about the new laser technology, “A laser weapon can shoot down anything that is in the air including aircraft.” It will take an estimated five years for laser technology to be operational in the battlefield.

Zero Chances that Hamas May be Able to Acquire Laser Technology

During his lecture, Prof. Ben-Israel also spoke about the possibilities of terror groups such as Hamas acquiring these technologies. “It’s very difficult to imagine such a situation where Hamas would acquire this technology. I would say the chances are close to zero. I do not think that the question of whether Hamas can get to this technology is a practical question. However, hypothetically speaking if Hamas would have such a weapon there would be very little we could do against it. It can be possible to find solutions in electronic warfare against the system, but keep in mind that we would have a very short time at our disposal. There is no armor that can prevent the effect of a powerful laser beam.”

Col. Zvi Haimovitz, Commander of the Anti-Aircraft support unit in the north, said in relation to the laser systems that “it is just a matter of time before the technology becomes operational. It is too bad that laser systems are not advancing at the same rate as standard systems, but their price certainly plays a significant role in the delayed process. In the future, laser systems will be operational replacing existing systems used by the air defense system.”

The Connection between Academia and the Air Force

Brig. Gen Rami Ben Efraim informed during the conference that, “the idea behind this day is to connect the academia and a practical body such as the Air Force that actually puts research into practice.”

Col. Ronit Farber explained to the IDF Website that, “everyone who came to the lecture did so voluntarily. Here there are about 500 officers from the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and above, as well as other outstanding officers.”

Oz Electrifies Its Infantry

Australia is spending $300 million to have an Israeli firm create a BGC3 (Battle Group and Below Command, Control and Communications) system for the Australian Army. The system will be based on a similar one used by Israeli land forces. All of this goes back to the American 1990s era Force XXI Battle Command Brigade-and-Below (FBCB2) project.

Parts of FBCB2 (especially the Blue Force Tracking, or BFT, system) were quickly issued to the troops for the 2003 invasion of Iraq Blue Force Tracker (GPS/satellite telephone devices) were hastily placed in thousands of combat vehicles. Anyone with a laptop, satellite data receiver, the right software and access codes could then see where everyone was (via a map showing blips for each BFT user). The spectacular success of Blue Force Tracker (BFT) got the attention of generals everywhere.

Over the next five years the U.S. Army built new versions of the BFT tracking (for vehicles on the battlefield) device. Because this hasty (all the stuff was still in development) experiment was a huge success, the United States proceeded to add more of this capability by producing and distributing 50,000 additional tracker devices.

There were some problems, however. The biggest hassle was the delay (often up to five minutes) between getting updated data from the satellite. Another big problem was that stationary icons, placed on BFT user screens to indicate enemy troops or dangers (like minefields or roadside bombs), don’t get updated accurately, or in a timely fashion. Once the troops begin to encounter a lot of roadside bombs that don’t exist (although Blue Force Tracker showed them), they began to lose faith in the system. Fixing this wasn’t easy, and several different solutions were tried before a stable solution was found.

The army supposes it has fixes for the major complaints. For example, the new BFT2 will have a ten second (or less) delay between satellite updates. New software will help clear away inaccurate icons indicating where the enemy is, or may be. The BTF2 network will also allow users to send more information to each other, including attachments. This will enable BFT2 to be used in automated command and control systems, that work more effectively because they can pass more information, more quickly, between the headquarters and the troops. While the existing BFT laptop (which includes the satellite communications hardware) costs about $1,500. BFT2 will cost $2,500 each (but will be a much more powerful piece of equipment).

Currently the army and marines have 60,000 BFT tracking devices (and far fewer laptops equipped to display BFT data for commanders), and plans to get at least as many of the BFT2 units, and perhaps as many as 120,000. BFT2 is expected to start shipping to the troops in another year or two. There are already hundreds of BFT2 prototypes undergoing testing. The field tests have shown BFT2 to be 45 times faster than BFT, and transmits data 30 times faster. This allows BFT2 users to send each other pictures and Word documents. But while BFT2 has taken a long time to perfect, the army upgraded other aspects of FBCB2.

After 2003, as combat operations continued in Iraq, so did the flow of money for new communications gear, software and communications capability. As a result, there were soon several improvised battlefield Internet systems that enabled commanders to quickly establish electronic Command Posts in combat zones. The tools were available, there was a need, and things just happened. Many components of this new form of command post (the fast satellite data links, PCs, large flat screen displays and laptops everywhere, plus easy networking) remain fairly stable. Most of the change is coming in the software. But even this aspect is kept under control because most screw-ups occur in front of senior commanders. This delivers an additional incentive to get these things working right.

Israel paid close attention to the American experience, and quickly adapted the most successful U.S, ideas for Israeli use. This is what they are delivering to Australia, which has become a major customer for Israeli military technology. The Israeli LAND 75 and 125 systems will equip over a thousand Australian vehicles, and 1,500 troops, as well as making it possible to quickly (within minutes) establish a command post anywhere, and know where your troops are, and be in touch with them.

This was not the first time radical technology sneaked up on the military. Portable radio, first widely used during World War II, radically changed how commanders operated, especially at the tactical level. But the current revolution is different in that the signals can easily be encrypted, and carry visual, as well as speech, data. Thus commanders at all levels can eliminate face-to-face meetings, and just videoconference, or talk freely about plans. But even Instant Messaging have become a powerful tool, because many times, a few short text messages are all that is needed to solve problems.

Finally, the Internet delivered, for the military, many new ideas on how to efficiently handle information. The Internet has been militarized much faster than anyone expected. That has led to the military adopting new database and visualization tools as well. In a single decade, the way commanders run their units, and battles has changed more than it has in the past half century.

Raytheon Delivers 2,000th Tomahawk Block IV Cruise Missile to U.S. Navy

In a significant production milestone, Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) delivered the 2,000th Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile to the U.S. Navy.

“Tomahawk Block IV provides the Navy with a combat-proven weapon that plays a critical role in hybrid warfare operations,” informed Capt. Dave Davison, the U.S. Navy’s program manager for the Tomahawk weapon system. “The Navy’s receipt of the 2,000th Tomahawk Block IV provides the commander with a powerful tactical weapon to shape the battlespace and prosecute time-critical targets.”

Tomahawk Block IV’s technologies deliver a tactical capability while reducing acquisition, operation and support costs. Tomahawk Block IV employs a two-way satellite datalink that enables a strike controller to flex the missile in flight to preprogrammed alternate targets or redirect it to a new target. This targeting flexibility includes the capability to loiter over the battlefield and await a more critical target.

“The Tomahawk program continues to provide the U.S. Navy with the capability to project precision firepower across the breadth and depth of the battlespace while providing unprecedented flexibility to the commander,” informed Harry Schulte, vice president of Raytheon’s Air Warfare Systems product line. “With the dedication of our employees and suppliers, the Tomahawk program has set the standard in cruise missile capability.”

Raytheon Company, with 2009 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 88 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 75,000 people worldwide.