Raytheon Company pushed battlefield situational awareness to a new, safer level by integrating existing sensor-to-missile technologies during a recent exercise at Camp Blanding, Fla.
Raytheon Missile Systems engineers successfully connected two dismounted, remotely operated sensors to a soldier's laptop and hand controller, sending commands directly to a nearby Griffin missile launcher.
A Long Range Acquisition Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3) identified the target and sent slew commands through its network to an Enhanced LRAS3 sensor, which confirmed the coordinates needed to engage the target. With this connectivity, the target's precise position was transmitted with greatly improved speed and accuracy through a secure laptop network, eliminating the need for voice commands.
"On the battlefield, this network capability will keep a soldier safe in a bunker or other protected position while conducting surveillance, identifying enemy targets and handing-off coordinates to a nearby portable weapons system," said Michelle Lohmeier, Raytheon's vice president of Land Warfare Systems.
By implementing the network connectivity, Raytheon is able to provide battlespace innovation and give warfighters the tools and sensor-to-missile capabilities needed to identify and neutralize threats.
Source: http://www.raytheon.com/