GREENLAWN, N.Y., 8 March 2007. BAE Systems and Thales have formed a teaming arrangement to provide an advanced, cost-effective combat identification capability for ground vehicles. The system is being developed in anticipation of a U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps requirement for a ground vehicle combat identification system. As program lead, the U.S. Army is expected to seek proposals later this year.
Focusing on the ground-to-ground domain, the BAE Systems and Thales team anticipate delivering a battlefield target identification (BTID) device that combines Thales's millimeter-wave technology with BAE Systems' network-centric and platform integration experience.
"In today's combat environment, ground forces need timely target identification information to effectively engage enemy forces," says Paul Markwardt, vice president and general manager of Identification and Situational Awareness for BAE Systems in Greenlawn, N.Y. "The BAE Systems-Thales team will deliver a capability to effectively distinguish friendly forces in a system that is NATO-compliant and compatible with coalition forces."
The BTID system will consist of interrogators and transponders. Combined interrogator and transponder devices will be mounted on direct-fire ground combat vehicles and transponder-only devices deployed on all other platforms. The interrogator can "ask" platforms within its field of view to identify themselves, with the transponders replying to identify vehicles as friendly.
The system will use digital data link technology that allows real-time position information to be transferred to other platforms and small units, including dismounted forces, and to be seen in the tactical situational awareness picture.
