Marshall Land Systems participates in GBA2

Marshall Land Systems (MLS) recently took part in Generic Base Architecture Exercise (GBA2) in Caerwent, South Wales as part of Team Castrum, led by Selex Galileo Battlespace Solutions. GBA2 is a demonstration to the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) of network concepts and standardisation for Forward Operating Bases (FOBs).

According to a company statement, as part of Team Castrum, MLS demonstrated a generic base architecture (GBA) which enables information to be freely moved around a secure network and between FOBs providing commanders from section level upwards with operational and logistic data.

The exercise showed a ‘family of fully networked, sustainable and deployable bases all interacting with one another’.  MLS provided perimeter surveillance using its Trakker unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) fitted with a 3 meter Clark Mast on top of which was Chess Dynamics’ OWL thermal imaging and video cameras. Fitted to the rear of the vehicle was a Roke Manor Resolve EW system.

According to the statement, base security was provided from a MLS Safebase deployable armoured sangar fitted with a Selex remote weapon station. A sensor fit could also be deployed.  Safebase is based on a 10ft MLS shelter with a rising sentry position, which can be lifted into position in 30 seconds.  Once deployed the space in the base of the tower can have multiple uses.  It can for example serve as a mini operations room or as an RWS control station. MLS provided a main briefing facility in an expandable shelter fitted with TV monitors and networked briefing stations.  In other parts of the main FOB were a laundry unit and ablutions block provided by the company's Norwegian partner, CSI.  These shelters were supported by a deployable incinerator provided in partnership with Inciner8.  All of these units can be networked into the GBA and provide commanders with information on water and fuel usage and waste management and in the briefing centre an overall situational awareness picture.

Team Castrum is a consortium led by Selex Galileo Battlefield Solutions in response to the UK MOD's GBA and Land Open Systems Architecture (LOSA) concepts.  Much of the work that has been done can equally be applied to deployed emergency services and disaster relief operations.