Officials of the Army Contracting Command in Warren, Mich., announced a five-year $88.6 million contract to GMS on 22 Sept. for four different kinds of components for the multifunction video display (MVD) system on the Army Medium Mine Protection Vehicle (MMPV) Type II.
The MMPV is a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored vehicle specially fitted with the multifunction video display system that integrates full-motion video from several different sources at each of the vehicle's crew stations.
Onboard vehicle sensors and systems that the MVD controls include the vehicle optical sensor system (VOSS), situational awareness cameras, man transportable robotic system, interrogation arm, radios, and other communication systems.
The MMPV moves down the road at slow speeds using vehicle-mounted sensors to detect and classify potential explosive threats. Each crew member can view and control on-board sensors separately from his display.
For the Army MMPV Type II fleet, GMS will provide 919 multifunctional video display kits, 305 auxiliary display kits, 57 brigade engineer battalion prescribed load list kits, 39 route clearance company kits, and 39 authorized stockage list kits.
The GMS system has two chassis and two displays, and includes an enterprise-class rugged secure server with 12-port 1/10 Gigabit Ethernet switch, router, data storage, CITV/DVR, video over IP, and two thin rugged smart-panel PCs, GMS officials say.
These components provide the Army with a dense, ultra-small, rugged server using the Intel Xeon E5 processor, and provides the MMPV Type II armored vehicle with a distributed platform with smart displays that run the Army's MVD software, GMS officials say.
The system's hardware and software distribute and control video in real time with low latency from all sensors mounted on the vehicle. Government-developed MVD software provides a seamless interface across several auxiliary subsystems on the MMPV Type II.
The system architecture is expandable to acquire digital data from more advanced sensors in the future, Army officials say. The MVD system also selects and records still images and video streams securely to removable data storage.
The MVDs have connectors for alternate input devices like joysticks and keypads. The displays connect to a server switch exchange video and data, as well as interface to onboard removable data storage. The switch interfaces to onboard sensors through either a dedicated media converter or standard Ethernet.
The system's glove-compatible touch-screen operates independently to enable one crew member to control one sensor system while others simultaneously control or view data from others. The speed of the system enables crew members to operate without motion sickness.
The MVD also integrates with the vehicle's radio to enable crew members to control radios from the displays. GMS designed the MVD hardware together with the Army's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) at Fort Belvoir, Va.
On this contract GMS will do the work at locations determined with each order, and should be finished by September 2022. For more information contact GMS online at www.gms4sbc.com, the Army Contracting Command-Warren at http://acc.army.mil/contractingcenters/acc-wrn, or the Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate at www.cerdec.army.mil/inside_cerdec/nvesd.
Ready to make a purchase? Search the Military & Aerospace Electronics Buyer's Guide for companies, new products, press releases, and videos
