Vetronics upgrade for M109A6-PIM self-propelled field artillery uses rugged displays from RGB Spectrum
Posted by John Keller
ALAMEDA, Calif., 22 Dec. 2009.Armored vehicle designers at BAE Systems Ground Systems Division in York, Pa., needed integrated rugged displays for vetronics upgrades on the M109A6 Paladin Integrated Management (PIM) self-propelled heavy artillerycombat vehicle. They found their solution from RGB Spectrum in Alameda, Calif.
RGB is providing its QuadView XLRT multiviewer multi-data point integrated display for the M109A6-PIM vetronics to enhance the crew's situational awareness, and to give commanders a more comprehensive battlefield picture for decision making.
The M109A6-PIM uses the existing Paladin artillery main armament and cab structure, yet replaces hydraulics with electric gun drives. Outmoded chassis components are replaced with up-to-date components and integrated into a new chassis structure to increase sustainability and commonality across the U.S. Army's Heavy Brigade Combat Teams (HBCT).
The QuadView XLRT multiviewer is the core component in the vehicle's display system, and shows mission critical data from a combination of computer and video signals onto a centralized screen, RGB officials say. Video inputs include surveillance and reconnaissance video cameras from land vehicles and unmanned aircraft.
Computer sources include maps, topography, battlefield sensors, force tracking and resources databases, satellite down-linked surveillance, and fire control systems. The multiviewer consolidates these sources and outputs four selected images at a time to an Aydin Displays 52-inch liquid crystal display with 1920-by-1080-pixel resolution, RGB officials say.
The QuadView processor enables the vehicle commander to display information according to his preferences in as many as four window arrangements or a full screen. The commander can manipulate each window to be any size, anywhere, providing a limitless combination of display configurations, RGB officials say.
Operators can select input sources, manipulate images, and choose from pre-set window display arrangements. Images can also be zoomed and panned to concentrate on a particular area of interest.
"The QuadView display system delivered exactly what the U.S. Army's Heavy Brigade Combat Teams needed and asked for," says Bob Opsitos, lead engineer for BAE Systems on the M109A6-PIM project, which seeks to sustain the Army's Paladin fleet into 2050. "It is an excellent solution for the most demanding mission critical applications where multiple visuals and data need to be presented in a unified way."
For more information contact RGB Spectrum online at www.rgb.com, or BAE Systems Ground Systems Division at www.baesystems.com.
