Digital Battlespace
AFCEA West: Thales spotlights Cradle Vehicle Adapter deliveries
Thales Communications has used the venue of West 2010, co-sponsored by AFCEA International and the US Naval Institute, to highlight the recent start of deliveries for its new 50 Watt Cradle Vehicle Adapter (CVA).
'We are delivering the Cradle Vehicle Adapter, specifically to the Marine Corps, for installation in their logistics vehicles,' observed Andrew Bostock, director of ground tactical communications business development for Thales Communications. 'And that delivery gives Marines enhanced capabilities in the smallest, lightest vehicle adapter package on the market.'
'Those deliveries are bound for units in theatre and if they are not there yet they will be there shortly,' he added.
Specifically, the CVA are being installed on the Marine Corps' light tactical vehicle replacement (LTVR) and logistics vehicle system - replacement (LVS-R) platforms.
Asked about implications for the warfighter, Bostock explained, 'That will give him 50 Watt output capability in the 30-88 MHz band and 20 Watts from 90 - 512 MHz. And it enhances all of the existing modes in the radio. So all of the capability that the radio brings, the CVA now brings forward to that enhanced RF output.'
The CVA programme has reportedly been in development for a little over one year.
Turning to the actual hardware, Bostock continued, 'It's called a cradle vehicle adapter because I have a cradle that will be dash mounted and allow a soldier or marine to slide in their handheld AN/PRC-148 JTRS Enhanced MBITR (JEM). And I have an amplifier providing that enhanced capability that can be mounted remotely. The advantage of this, is if you think about marines and soldiers today, they are getting into vehicles while wearing more and more individual equipment. They have got full body armour. They have got ammunition pouches and belts. Typically they also have a weapon sitting in front of them in a shoulder sling. And when this warfighter gets into a vehicle, he doesn't have a lot of personal space in front of them.'
'So, since the CVA can be dash mounted, while the amplifier can be mounted in the back of the vehicle or even on the outside of the vehicle, the warfighter retains operational advantages. He controls the radio from the front, so if I can program it and use it in a handheld mode, I can use it in the mounted mode as well,' he said.
He added, 'As typical with Thales solutions, it has what we call a ‘rapid dismount capability.' In other words, we know that one of the biggest things impacting our soldiers and marines today, in combat, are things like IEDs. And when they need to get out of the vehicle, they need to get out of the vehicle. They don't have time to unhook cables or unlash things. So to take this radio out of the vehicle, I simply unlatch [one locking bar] and I go. So I've got a less that two second rapid dismount capability, with small profile form factor, that gives you enhanced capabilities for the radio. So we're pretty excited about it.'
By Scott R. Gourley, San Diego
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