US Army’s TARDEC talks APS
Specialists from the US Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) have spoken on how the US Army is tackling the IED challenge for its armoured vehicle fleet at the Future Ground Combat Vehicle Summit.
Col. Kevin Vanyo, program manager for Emerging Capabilities at TARDEC, highlighted the fact that simply up-armouring with armour plating passive protection systems is no longer the answer, pointing out that the Abrams tank today is so heavy, transporting it is a problem and many bridges are not strong enough to support its weight.
With weapons becoming more potent, the army is pursing hard and soft kill active protection systems (APS) under its Modular Active Protection System (MAPS) programme; the former of which includes sensors that can detect signatures from weapons and then interfere with those weapons using electro-magnetic countermeasures, while hard kill refers to physical countermeasures such as blast or projectiles that destroy or divert incoming fire.
MAPS is a framework for a modular, open-systems architecture – a framework that consists of the controller software and hardware that will allow the APS to function once it is developed.
The army is pursing three variants of MAPS: Trophy APS for use on the Abrams, Iron Curtain APS for use on the Stryker, and Iron Fist APS for use on the Bradley.
It is hoped that Trophy APS will be fielded by 2020, while a decision on the other two variants will be made during the second quarter of fiscal year 2018.
Work right now involves testing various systems that can be fielded once MAPS has matured. The current challenge is understanding the signal that APS produces and if that signal might interfere with other vehicle software, or provide its own signature that could be picked up by enemy sensors.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
![US Army set to receive first ISV-U-mounted Scorpion Light mortar]()
US Army set to receive first ISV-U-mounted Scorpion Light mortar
Global Military Products will begin deliveries next week under a US$12.9 million agreement covering digitally enabled 81mm mortar systems, vehicle integration and army fire-control technology.
-
![US Army reaches out to industry for M109 replacement in a deal worth up to $8 billion]()
US Army reaches out to industry for M109 replacement in a deal worth up to $8 billion
The US has tried several times to replace the M109 Paladin self-propelled howitzer, a requirement which Shephard forecasts could be for as many as 670 platforms and worth as much as US$8 billion.
-
![“Creating a decision advantage”: how C-UAS is evolving to reduce the operator burden]()
“Creating a decision advantage”: how C-UAS is evolving to reduce the operator burden
In Conversation… Speaking to Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan, Dr Brian Shand, Director – Advanced Concepts & Technology at L3Harris, explains how, as operators face growing numbers of low-cost drones, C-UAS providers must focus on reducing operator workload, transforming fragmented sensor data into effective decision-making.
-
![British Army faces AFV capability gaps despite Boxer and Ajax deliveries]()
British Army faces AFV capability gaps despite Boxer and Ajax deliveries
The British Army continues to face gaps in its armoured fighting vehicle fleet, with replacement plans for Warrior and FV432 still unresolved despite ongoing deliveries of Boxer and Ajax.
