British Army tests GPS-denied navigation outcomes

As part of the Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE) at HM Naval Base Portsmouth, ground troops of the British Army conducted a set of trials in November with the Rafael FOOTPRINT system in a number of urban scenarios. The system allows soldiers to navigate and self-position in GPS-denied environments.

Under the auspices of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (dstl  and Future Capability Group, soldiers tested the FOOTPRINT system between and inside buildings and into basements as well as in open areas.

FOOTPRINT was connected to CivTAK (Civilian Team Awareness Kit, a derivative of the ATAK terminal) which allows soldiers to stand in a variety of sites and conduct operational tasks whilst activated.

Commanders were able to obtain an accurate picture of the location of each solider with an understanding of the operational situation, according to Rafael.

Shmuel Olansky, head of the Multi-Domain Warfare Directorate at Rafael said: 'FOOTPRINT will allow higher command to better direct its troops and help prevent cases of friendly fire in a complex space. We thank the British Army for hosting our delegation and demonstrating our system's practical applications.'

The November iteration of AWE, Sustain & Protect, will be followed by AWE Shape & Defend in 2023 and AWE Urban Integrate in 2024.

Rafael increased its presence in the UK defence market by acquiring mobility specialist Pearson Engineering in September.