|
Land Warrior is a United States Army program that uses a combination of commercial, off-the-shelf technology and current-issue military gear and equipment designed to:
While technology has always been a focus of the United States military, very little of it has actually been adopted by the infantry soldier. With growing concerns of urban warfare and dismounted infantry actions, the US Army recognizes the need for individual infantrymen to be better equipped, better informed, and better protected in the 21st century battlefield. The Land Warrior program maximizes existing technologies to correct most infantry soldier limitations in the short term.
Version 1.0 of the system has completed US Army testing as of February 2003. It has so far not yet entered full service pending changes; mainly that the complete system is still too fragile for desert environment usage.
The Land Warrior System:
Land Warrior has three priority objectives:
- Improving the lethality of an individual soldier
- Increasing the survivability of a soldier
- Providing full command, communications, and control to a soldier
Land Warrior has five main subsystems:
- Weapon
- Integrated helmet assembly
- Protective clothing and equipment
- Computer/radio
- Software system
Weapon
The original system is built around the M16 rifle or M4 carbine, both with modular rail mounts to allow customization as needed for each mission. It includes the weapon itself, plus components such as a video camera and rangefinder/compass. The LRF/DC provides range and direction information, while the camera provides Night Vision and Thermographic capabilities, plus allowing a soldier to shoot around corners or behind cover without actually exposing himself to enemy fire.
At time the weapon for Land Warriors will be the H&K OICW an assaultrifle with an computer-based firecontroll system and an integraded Nightvision and Infra-red sight
Helmet
The Integrated Helmet Assembly Subsystem (IHAS) combines a lightweight advanced helmet with a computer and sensor display that provides various information from digital maps and troop locations down to the in-picutre image from his weapon-mounted video camera. This is what allows the soldier to view and fire around corners.
Armor and Protection
The Interceptor Body Armor system and Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) load-bearing system currently in service with the US Army and Marines today are partially a result of the Land Warrior programme.
Command and Communications
The Computer/Radio Subsystem (CRS) makes the bulk of the Land Warrior system integrating a GPS receiver, radio communications, and a Dead Reckoning Module (DRM) that maintains accurate location when GPS signal unavailable. The system is connected via a wireless LAN.
Software
Land Warrior's software system is powered by a variant of the Microsoft Windows operating system and has a modular, open architecture for further improvement. Frequency of the Blue Screen of Death is currently unknown.
Future Developments
The Land Warrior program may play a huge part in Urban warfare situations in the future. Currently, the system has finished it's first phase of testing, but limitations keep it from being adopted by soldiers in the field. Other elements may influence future Land Warrior development, such as the eventual adoption of new weapons systems such as the XM8 Carbine and XM-29 OICW, as well as new technologies from both military and civilian firms that may or may not be included.
See also:
External links:
| 
