Sa aa eee) ae Fighting fire with fire: technology finds a solution to sniper attacks ‘Once a real threat, sniper attacks on US forces in Iraq have decreased dramat- ically in the face of new, widely available, man-portabie and vehicle-mounted detection systems to help soldiers counter them, writes Andrew White S srand precision smallarms fire (PSAF) attacks on US forces in Iraq are almost “non-existent” in 2009 thanks to increased sniper awareness training and the introduction of counter sniper systems. Despite widespread Al-Qzedaled Islamic State ol aq propaganda caling on tustims to pick up a rile and with "a single bullet kill a person who cost his country a lot o money”, the frequency of attacks ae failing according to unofficial US Army figures. In 2007, nearly 300 PSAP and sniper at tacks were reported and in 2008, these ‘iqures had dropped by twozhires. The US Army told Jane's that such reports for 2009, have since al but disappeared. Part of the success has been credited to the counter insurgency (COIN) troop surge in 2007 led by General David Petraeus, for :mer Commanding General of Mult:Natonal 2 Force ~ rag, but addtional praise has been, given to industry solutions now widely available to coalition forces operating in AE shanistan as wel as rag Figures recorded during Operation ‘Endur ing Freedon’ in Aighanistan are not so pos: tive and attacks are expected to increase as ttre United States deploys 21.000 additional twoopsto the county this year. Sniper atacks remain an enduring part of the batllefield. The enemy may increase attacks at any time of their own volition, ‘ays William A Dadge, operations manager for the Sniper Defeat integrated Capabilives Development Team (ICDT), Despite years of ongoing development and delivery of sniper defeat systems, the LIS Department of Defense's (DoD's) programme for a vehicle mounted Gunshot Detection System only received programme fof record (POR) status in February 2008, Previously, forces had been rellant an the US Army Rapid Equipping Force (REF) for urgent operational requirements The POR for a soldier-worn Individual Gunshot Detector is expected to receive approval during the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2009 (FY(9) with programmes for op tic augmentation as well as a counter sniper vehicle system undergoing an “early stall: ng review" ‘With an armoury including 5.56 mm and 32 mm automatic rifles up to 50-calibre sniper rifles and DSK heavy machine guns, ‘as well as rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) ‘and anttank guided weapons (ATGWS), in urgent in Alghanistan have come to eq! the elficacy of sniper atacks with that of suicide bombings Whether employing hitand-run single sot attacks or digging in, camming up’ and ‘engaging coalition patrols at ranges of up JANE’S INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE REVIEW lf JUNE 20091 fa-janes.com2 kilometre, the benefits ofthe “force mule tiplier” sniper are obvious in asymmetrle ‘warfare. Howover, the defence industry is, ‘quickly developing technology to counter ‘this threat on a number of diferent levels. AAs with the MRAP (imine resistant am- bush protected) vehicle programme, the DoD clecided to spread its sniper detection ‘capability across a wide range of solutions and companies. ‘AAI Corporation business development ‘director, Derek Baker provided the US Army “with ts fest successfully felded sniper dtee- tion system to interface with a remote weap. ‘ons system to give a 'slew-tocue' capability ‘The PD Cue Corner system interfaces ‘with Kongsberg’s Common Remotely Op- ‘erated Weapon System Il (CROWS I}. ‘aboard MII5I High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs), With a ‘contract for an intial 80 systems, the first deliveries were finalised In April and completion is due by August. Deployment to AE -ghanistan and Iraqis expected {ater in the year, “Once cued to the source ‘of gunaee, [PD Cue] automat- cally slews the weapon over tn that source to determine whether to take a lethal response or nat. explains Baker, With an instantaneous reaction time of 80 ms, the total response time depends on the weapon's ‘slew rate ‘An “unconventional approach’, according to Baker, the PD Cue Corner system com prises a 15.cm cube, weighing 2 Ib (9 ky), located on each of the four corners of a vehicle, Each individual box comprises four sensors, and only a single box needs to be ‘operational forthe system to function. How ‘ever the mote baxes that are operational, the more accurate coverage ofthat vehicle willbe, ‘The more ‘conventional’ mastiype sys tems, which can have anything ftom four to seven sensors, can interfere with the feldot ‘view of rootmaunted weapons ar sensors, hot #0 mention their slew-rate capability Bakerbelieves, A gunshot detection system on each comer ofthe vehicle, with overlap, mitigates the risk of sensors getting caught up on over ‘also been demonstrated on the Bradley fighting vehicle, various HMMWY configura tions and the BAE Systems Hagglunds CV90 tracked armoured combat vehicle in Swe- den. However, AA's main focus remains the US market, despite the potential fr foreign sales in France, Spain, Sweden and the UK, says Baker Feedback irom US Army field tests s pos Ite, he says. Deployed on Stryker IFVs, soldiers have liked the slewing capability IPD Cue. "Based on information from PD. Cue, they've been able to put crosshairs right on the target |1P0 cue ¢-corer system vob mounted on 2 MAT Rmieraphane pack en be en cn each rn fhe ves ea Referring to future requirements for US ‘and coalition forees, Baker foresees every tactical veelerecelving some sortofacous: tie detection system, “Itis not as much of an Issue forthe vul- nerablity ofa fully uparmoured vehicle, but dont rule that out, Tanks have gunners who have to come out ofa hatch and man a gun and they become susceptibie to small arms fre.” Looking ahead, AAI is planning to ex and its capabilities into man-wearable Solutions, as well a airborne vehicles such 85 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and helicopters, “This is our next most compet- Itive frontier. Where we actually end up is Sa asa determined by warlighter requirements We are always looking to imprave exist Ing requlrements and to expand to meet emerging requirements of the military.” Baker continues, Describing an acoustic system for & hel: copter Baker says:"On an airplatiorm, as in any configuration, the system has to have a processing capability to filter out or ignore all other wave signatures. The more noise ‘andjor volume you have to deal with the more precise your processing has be. "We want to be a part ofthe army inven tory of systems; the system of choice on all tactical vehcfes requiring acoustic gunshot ‘esection. We can migrate tnistechoology to air vehicles, unmanned surface vessels ane potentially develop some level of nexwork capability to proliferate this information ‘across the batleield,” Baker concludes, Boomerang hits back Another firm heavily involved in acoustic detection is BEN Technologies, which is responsible for three generations of the Boomerang system. Having already deliv. fered over 5,000 systems (part of a USDTA million contract with US Army Project Manager Robotics and Unmanned Sensors for 8,000 Boomerang Il systems) to the US Army and US Marine Corps (USMC) in AF ghanistan and Iraq, vice-president and {general manager for the Boomerang pro- ‘gramme, Mark Sherman believes the PoR for vehicle-mounted systems will produce ‘requirement for approximately 2,000 sys- temsa year Similar to Boomerang Il its earlier pro- gramme in conjunction with the US Detense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DAR: PA) for a vehicle-mounted antisniper sys- tem, itis capable of detecting bullet shock ‘waves and muzzle blast before transmiting sniper locations tothe vehicle crew. “Thenextdevelopmentstage for Boomerang, I, according to Sherman, is integration with situational awareness platiorms and finedsite protection, °We are beginning o ge requests for fxod site protection in Alghanistan. Given the CONOPS [concept of operations} there ‘and FOBs [onward operatingbases), they are receiving 300 pus [incoming] rounds a night ‘hanging tres and low banging Ines. The low profile isa lite less conspicuous to the po ‘ental combatant Warfghtersare saying peo- ple just shoot at them because their vehicle Jooks diferentto yesterday.” he continues, However, Baker also concedes that ‘enemy combatants might be deterred from engaging a vehicle with a mast, inthe knowledge that tmight be equipped with a sniper detection system. 11 Cue «carer system Ing wei ‘Baker has received feedback from oper- ational theatres where damaged boxes have been know to be replaced with 15 minutes “Masts are bulky enough {Uhat) you can't carry around replacements.” he asserts. ‘Adaptable to Stryker infantey fighting vehicles (IFVs), the 4Corner system has ‘mounts on a Stryker inate fgh- JIANE’S INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE REVIEW m JUNE 2000 m ldrjancs.com 33Se aaa In very mountainous terrain, the Boomerang system is well suited to Rxedsite protection, Jn fact, performance is more enhanced as youre not natoud moving vehice ‘Whether standalone or integrated with ‘command -and-control (C2) systems such ‘as Force XXI Battlefield Commund Brigade ‘and Below (FECB2) as used by the US milk: tary, Boomerang Ill is capable of showing a shooter's location on a display map which can then be disseminated across a battie Feld, A number of Boomerang ill systems are currently being tested and evaluated In army laboratories for integration into FBC? and CROWS Il, and BBN is awaiting alicence agreement for both solutions. Responsibie for rani the US Army's counters strategy fs Willam A Dodge, opatons mas gor or the Sniper Deteat mngrated Capable Development Team ICON. “the Sniper Deteat mission to recommend the way ahead to army G3 Operations and Panning for organising, aining apd equppig te amy to aderess the tivea of sripers! he expan. ‘Unable to comment on the umber US exsualies a rents, Dodge dosrbes to Jane's Row the sper threat was second only fo IEDs improvised expio- Shue devices) wen the CDT wa formed etection system, C2 Intrtace ad dh ‘CROWS I weapon syste The US Army as priontised the snipar te creening an obscuration devices. tows solders fake orovont *Dasae continues. “Solar an tho information at he ew Looking ahead, [CDT i consiring higher nesdquarter tooror te. “date the US Army ising thousends of sysems in both GperationEnduting Freedom’ and ‘Operation rai Freeda: The Vanguard Counor Sipe Vehicle compres an acoustic gunshot spay (proving slow to ee function forte Kongsberg ‘suite of various seoustic and infared (IR) gunshot detection systems ar also boing operated at socuniy checkpoints, guard towers ana othe xed post ‘Sima various elecro-opti EO) and etoeflotve opt systems, in ountod and handhold ‘modes are availabe to "et Ou sors know when they ae being surveyed me continues, wile ‘Seeing th Solder Wearable Acoust Targeting System (SWATS). Into tree eatogris:pre-hot, ost-shot and free protection wth ater Including everything Hom improved body armour and ‘Proshotsjstems uch s optic augmentation and rte tlecwve technology et 0 ‘ney ae rthin the fe of vow ov are being aeqited by an opt device norma investigate suspect positions” says Dod "Postshol technologies such as acoustic av IR detection systems augment the sla Younger solders more acustomed to gang graphics ‘Bu Dodge warrs that much doponds on spall awareness: “Soldiers must be auto convert and conten relate ro simensional data onto the thee-dmeraional bated” "According wo feedback ecsved fom trotino oop, sien 1-eu’eapailty on systems sch 8 ‘ne Vanguara, which wil detec, locate and engage forgets, is Preferred asi prevents the operator from being exposed in a gunre’s ue Similarly siamounte troops wearing individual gunshot etection euces “gonorall have incteased contidence nel abl to oeate ana eliminate sp ns ake want more technologies that allow the detection of snipers bore the attack and an increased aistrbution ofthe current tecnnlogies that augment the solders senses {As industry speeds ahead locking fr the next-generation, multsensor collaboration, ‘worked configuration, Dodge warns thata Botomup information approach Is preferred at present “ita system is netnrkraliant then 3 sated network wil bea single point of aur. Keeping iwrlbe actioned e paramount Soiers need immeditey actionable Information nshipor attacks. Theres no time for analysis stllavon ad then astbution he aye ture merements of networked gunshot detection stems 2s psyco multi-modal sensors on avait f platforms. "Relevant, lead ifermation wil bo shared ‘wih proseibed recipients wmle automated situational reports are deere gon veo cusing) 10 “Once colar pinpoint he locaton of snipers hey wl be able to engage targets For hose tt in detiado, he soar may forward target ata fr prosecution by nates Hes o syst ch 5s etnal nite aerial munitions? Dodge explains Howevay, he concludes that sniper detection alone isnot enough: As prt ofthe sniper detest gree must incense lethality of our eo} and snipers and wel reduc thelr winery “This actamplised by improving their capability to detect enony snipers whe increasing the ‘ange and ltraiy fou snipers and sesigted marksmen. Post ene tecisologes mostly prvise {erent deta This il sears be lss estab han locating an eiminating the sniper beta Me makes his shot” Sherman admits that there is growing ‘demand for fixed site protection and tells Jane's that BBN had received sueh aa en: ‘quity lor embassy protection In Afghant stan. Ke declined to comment further, ‘Another emerging market lies in VIP protection, especially in the international arena, Sherman continues: “There Is nul tiple demand recurring for presidential/VIP close protection, iaclity/ perimeter protec: tion and vehicle protection, each reduiring lower profile systems” BEN's solution to the VIP requirement is the ‘Stubby’ Warrior system, ‘th a smaller profile array, Stubby includes neither masts nor spines and according to Sherman atts by PSAF or siber engage: 3s, Dodge exons moths type a barely suffers any noticeable performance dllleence tothe other Boomerang systems. "Still with 00 false alarm rate, a user te ceivesthe same report within a second. You ‘might start o see some ioss of performance from shots emanating rom much, much fur- ther away but performance parameters are classified,” he explains. Unleash the Warrior BBBN’s other offering is the Boomerang War rlorsystem. US Army Natick Research, Devel ‘opment and Engineering Center has signed a USD35 million contract to concentrate on further development of the man-wearable acoustic detection system, Lookingat system ‘ergonomics and material, BBN delivered its first six pre-production unitsin Apri for inde- pendent testingand verification Comprising differeat electronics but fea turing the same Boomerang ill algorithms in its software, Sherman tells Jene's: "We ‘can deteet shots in any position, Whether a soldier is running or taking evasive action, the system has the ability track his mo. tion during and after the shot, letting bim ‘know with an instantaneous announcement [where tne enemy is] relative to where the soldier i [at that sme} Incorporated into two shoulder pads, ‘each with an aray of five microphones corn: plemented by an earplug, LCD wrist display fand small power pack, Sherman believes the Warrior system is the only man-wear Able solution to work when a soldier i ving Inthe prone position Each shoulder pad works independent, providing 360-degree coverage with ro ocet Sion caused by a backpack, helmet or heat, The shot report comprises azimuth, range and elevation and can provide inlormation accurate to within SO m, ‘Size, weight and power is key. The aver age soldier in Iraq and Aighanistan carries around 45 kg of equipment. Now (Watrior] weighs 0.96 kg but the goat is to reach (0.45 kg" Sherman says. “The system is currently undergoing MIL SPEC testing for shock, vibration and tem perature for use in the arduous terrain of Aighanistan, Sherman expects the system to be operational by the ent ofthe year BBN has already sold an undisclosed number of Warrior systems to Spain, and Sherman tells Jone’ that they are working with General Dynamics in both the UK and US to integrate the shoulder pads into a C2 system that i already soldierborne. “This would elirainate the earplugs and battery pack {from Warrior] and plug Into 4 man-wearable situational awareness plat- form," Sherman explains, eferringto the US Land Warrior and UK FIST (Future infantry Soldier Technology)t¥pe programmes. BBN isalso considering the aviation mar ket for its Boomerang series and has stated Work with DARPA onthe HALTPA (Heticop- ter Alert and Threat Termination = Acoustic system) programme. Its object iso put an acoustic sniper detection system on a Back, * TANES INTERNAT ONAL DEFENCE REVIEW wm JUNE 20089 m /drjancs.com