News & Events
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UK special operations vehicle developer, Supacat, is displaying its HMT 600 tactical support vehicle, best known as `Coyote`, in an anti-UAV defence role for the first time at DVD. It will be installed with AUDS (Anti-UAV defence system), the only operationally proven counter drone system, supplied by Chess Dynamics and the AUDS Team.
In November an AUDS mounted `Coyote` will participate in `Autonomous Warrior- the 2018 Army Warfighting Experiment’, which will test how Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) can be exploited in the Land Environment and assess their ability to reduce the danger to troops during combat.
“This is a further example of the flexibility of the HMT platform, which can be reconfigured to integrate the latest technology and enhance capability for our armed forces on the modern battlefield,” said Phil Applegarth, Head of Supacat.
The Coyote mounted AUDS is the latest collaboration in a long standing relationship between Supacat and fellow UK SME, Chess Dynamics, and demonstrates the agility of both UK companies in coming together to deliver battle ready solutions that fill a capability gap.
“We are both innovative, high technology British SMEs of similar size and geared to responding at speed to customer requirements. We both build world beating products in Britain that are successful abroad, making exports a central focus for our businesses”, said Applegarth.
AUDS is in service with the US forces in both its field mast configuration and has also been installed on Stryker vehicles. It has over 700 confirmed “kills” and has been on continuous combat operations since it deployed almost 2 years ago. It is designed to disrupt and neutralise unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) engaged in hostile airborne surveillance and potentially lethal activity.
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Liteye Systems has received an $18 million follow on contract for delivery of numerous containerized anti-unmanned aircraft systems, or C-AUDS for short, from the US Air Force. These systems will all deliver in the next 120 days. This is the 5th contract for C-UAS systems and services Liteye has received since the fall of 2016.
The US version of the AUDS system first deployed with the US Army in late 2016 and has fast become the go to defense system in combat. With many systems already in the field providing real world experience, against very real threats, Liteye is developing more advanced capabilities that can be layered into their solutions. These advancements will be needed to combat the growing threat today, and for years to come, from the fast growing unmanned or robotic systems market.
“The unmanned systems industry is innovating at an incredible rate.” said Kenneth Geyer, CEO of Liteye, “Unfortunately with all the great benefits that provides it also spawns the rogue operator who uses that tech in a malicious way. At Liteye our goal is to stay ahead of that threat.”
Liteye’s close partner companies of Pratt & Miller, Numerica, and Chess Dynamics form the core team that is producing the new C-AUDS variant in Centennial. This containerized system features a state-of-theart operator suite, hardened for use in any climate, that can easily be moved between locations. The platforms innovative design allows for the ability to “Bolt on” new technologies in the future as threats evolve in the field.
Liteye is now deploying and supporting their AUDS, M-AUDS, M-AUDS-KE, and C-AUDS variants of their CUAS system. All four have the capabilities to detect, track, identify, and defeat enemy UAS with layers of different technologies coming together to create a solid line of defense.
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Under the Land 155 Enhanced Gap Crossing Capability Project, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has taken delivery of the first scheduled tranche of WFEL’s rapidly-deployable military bridges, including Dry Support Bridges and Medium Girder Bridges. This project milestone includes some of the first configurations of the Dry Support Bridge launching vehicle on a fully-armoured Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicle (RMMV) 45m 10 x 10 chassis.
The Dry Support Bridges (DSBs), capable of carrying over 120 tonnes, have been delivered following extensive trials at the UK’s Millbrook Proving Ground, to verify both off-road and on-road capability and in accordance with a series of demanding mandated Specifications, Audits and Project Reviews determined by the Australian Government. Also supplied for Land 155 are WFEL’s double-storey, link-reinforced Medium Girder Bridge systems (MGBs), which can span up to 49 metres and which will be supplemented by additional portable Pier and Span equipment, allowing bridges of up to 76 metres to be constructed.
As the bridges provide temporary infrastructure and will be used in the ADF’s Combat Support and Disaster Relief operations, both DSB and MGB bridging systems are being delivered complete with walkways, to allow the separation of vehicular traffic from pedestrians. WFEL’s comprehensive Integrated Logistics Support package is also being supplied, to cover through-life support for the bridges.
The adoption and acceptance of the latest variant of the DSB by Australia further helps to support WFEL’s position in respect of ‘Project Tyro’, the Assessment Phase program contract that it won to look at replacing the UK’s ageing BR90 systems nearing their end of service.
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Avon Protection has received NIOSH CBRN approval on its AvonAir™ modular powered air range. The Avon EZAir, MP-PAPR and CS-PAPR usher in a new era of multipurpose and adaptable respiratory protection.
The single filter Avon EZAir is the smallest and lightest CBRN powered respirator available with cost of ownership per use at nearly half that of PAPRs. The low profile MP-PAPR provides supreme user comfort through its unique flexible construction and hydration integration capability. The market leading in-mission response flexibility of the CS-PAPR provides the tools necessary to keep pace with rapidly changing threats. These three modular CBRN hardened systems provide the level of protection needed to meet ever-changing mission demands.
An intelligent CBRN blower with its flow control technology and alarm systems is used in all AvonAir systems. The modularity even extends as far as the mask and filters with owners of Avon masks able connect to their new powered air system and meet NIOSH CBRN requirements using the Avon CBRN canister.
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Consolite Technology has recently carried out an evaluation role in the Night Vision Goggle Flight Trials for HMS Queen Elizabeth. This work follows multiple Harbour Trials carried out on the ship by Consolite to reduce risk.
A Mk II Merlin from 820 Sqn was used to perform multiple approaches and perimeter views of the RN’s new aircraft carrier at night. The NVG images were captured on a specially formatted system using Consolite’s NVGs. The resulting imagery was evaluated by the Consolite Team and a report submitted to the RN.
Any flight over water at night requires aircrew and passengers to complete Dunker Training, in this case at the Under Water Escape Training (UWET) Unit at RNAS Yeovilton. The trainee must be able to escape from an aircraft underwater, upside down, in the dark from a belted position in the aircraft. The training was familiar to those Consolite staff who had been involved in approaches to Invincible Class ships on Chinook and Sea King.