General Dynamics [GD] UK recently said it held the fourth annual Joint Internal Research and Development (JIRAD) demonstration at its EDGEr U.K. facility in Newbridge, South Wales.
JIRAD is an end-of-year showcase at which General Dynamics UK demonstrates innovative technologies that are developed in response to current operational needs.
More than 70 top officials from its customer community attended, from the British armed forces and Ministry of Defence.
The focus this year was on improved information capabilities for use in Afghanistan including network connectivity, information exploitation, deployed surveillance and protection, dismounted soldier systems, deployed logistics information systems and generic vehicle architecture for future vehicle platforms.
Network connectivity and information exploitation addressed the issue of how forces on the ground could better manage and exploit the multiple sources of information available to them in theater. New technologies and solutions were demonstrated that would improve shared situational awareness, manage workload to ease information transfer, provide better interoperability between British Forces and the Afghan Mission Network as well as with legacy and commercial-off-the-shelf equipment, and provide a common operating picture to all users.
The dismounted soldier system area demonstrated technologies that allow the dismounted soldier to easily access data including real-time video streams sent from an unmanned aircraft system, annotate and share such data in a user-friendly manner from a portable display unit worn on the arm, and even print waterproof maps in the field.
The deployed surveillance area highlighted General Dynamics UK’s capability in the area of rapidly deployable ground surveillance units, its expertise in intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance, persistent surveillance and force protection technology and how to use network connectivity to exploit the resulting data.
General Dynamics UK also demonstrated its deployed logistics information system, an asset and configuration management tool that could exist on the BCIP platform, allowing the user to gather and assess logistics data about Bowman and related equipment.
The company also demonstrated its core infrastructure distribution system (CIDS) on a Cougar and a Jackal vehicle. This patented system, which complies with the industry-wide generic vehicle architecture standard, provides an open architecture for future platform design and power management, and will feature in Scout SV when introduced into service. CIDS points toward a potential common electronic architecture standard across the entire U.K. fleet.
“JIRAD delivered a first class demonstration of current, new and developing technologies appropriate to the current and planned operations being conducted in Afghanistan,” said Brig. Ivan Hooper, BATCIS Team Leader, following the event. “All JIRAD attendees are acutely aware that there are significant challenges in Afghanistan and I appreciate the forward-leaning and innovative approach which General Dynamics UK continues to take…I welcome the close and joint working relationship which has been fostered in the interests of delivering capability.”
The EDGEr UK provides a collaborative environment for new equipment and software to be joined to existing defense communications and IT systems, facilitating speedy assessment and refinement of emerging capabilities for the armed forces and security services, the company said. This enables rapid testing of new advances in technology by the MoD, universities and high-tech subject matter experts. It is a revolutionary model where industry and academia collaborate to deliver new technologies and innovative capabilities to users worldwide.The facility has developed the partnership-based concept of the U.K.’s unique Joint Systems and Joint Networks Integration Bodies.
General Dynamics C4 Systems sponsors the EDGE(r) Innovation Network operating from Innovation Centers collocate near customer or EDGE member centers of interest. The centers focus on user needs or specific core capabilities.