Marines in the U.S. Marine Corps Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron (MAWTS-1) successfully completed a training exercise with the Lockheed Martin [LMT] Dual Mode Laser Guided Bomb (DMLGB), proving the operational relevance of the weapon system in the first MAWTS test event since the contractor upgraded the operational software last year, the company said Aug. 4.
In the exercise at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona, AV-8B Harrier aircrews released 19 bombs against fixed targets in various targeting modes–laser-guided targeting, GPS/Inertial Navigation System guidance and dual mode.
Lockheed Martin spokeswoman Melissa Hilliard told sister publication Defense Daily that “the training program focuses on tactically representative engagements structured to accurately replicate the operational weapon and tactics employment that would be encountered in actual combat scenarios to evaluate performance, capability and overall of effectiveness of the system in countering the associated threat in the mission.”
The DMLGB builds on the Lockheed-made Paveway II laser-guided bomb kit. The company is in the midst of improving both, even after the most recent software upgrade. Hilliard said Lockheed Martin is pursuing a Paveway II Plus LGB and a corresponding Dual Mode Plus add-on.
“The new Dual Mode Plus system retains the proven operational capability and benefits from previous Lockheed Martin DMLGB product versions, while capitalizing on the latest technology and performance improvements of our Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb product to enhance system performance, reliability and overall affordability,” she said.
Logos Technologies To Develop, Deploy Hostile Fire Indicator System
The Army Research Lab has tapped Logos Technologies to further develop and deploy technology to detect and locate hostile gunfire and explosions under a $9.7 million contract.
The Optical Gunfire, Rockets and Explosive Flash Detection (OGRE) system uses high-speed cameras to capture the signature of a fired weapon or detonation and provide precise source coordinates to ground troops, the company said in a July 28 statement. OGRE is coupled with an existing acoustic sensor developed by the Army’s Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering center (AMRDEC).
The combined OGRE-acoustic unit, called Serenity, creates a dual threat validation process that significantly reduces false positive identifications. The system works in combination with full-motion video and wide-area surveillance sensors to locate and identify the locations of hostile fire.
The integration of visual and acoustic technology dramatically increases the detection range and accuracy in comparison to existing systems, the statement said. OGRE’s enhanced wide-area capability provides forces with real-time operational intelligence, allowing them to respond quickly.
The Serenity system will be integrated with Logos Technologies’ aerostat-based Kestrel sensor system, allowing operators to not only see attacks as they happen, but also access DVR-like forensic playback when necessary. Serenity will detect flash events such as rocket and mortar launches and explosive detonations making it uniquely suited to protect forward-deployed bases.
As troop levels are reduced over the coming years, OGRE and its variants will act as a force multiplier for warfighters, offering constant protection without the need for additional personnel. The system’s lightweight design is also adaptable to unmanned and fixed-wing platforms, allowing these aircraft to closely support land forces even in the face of heavy enemy fire, the company said