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Post by Frenchie on Jun 6, 2009 12:18:29 GMT 1
The UK Ministry of Defence says it will commence trials of its "Combat ID Server" (CIDS) system from September, according to reports. The CIDS is intended to make it easier for people about to unleash heavy firepower to find out if there are any British troops in their gunsights, so helping to reduce so-called "blue on blue" incidents.
Jane's International Defence Review reports that CIDS will undergo testing from September until May next year. The demonstrator programme uses imported American Rosetta data-gate tech from Rockwell and NetLink kit from General Dynamics, but "all development and integration work will be conducted within the UK" by Qinetiq and the two US firms' British subsidiaries, according to Qinetiq.
The idea of CIDS is that it will maintain a database of British unit locations on the ground in the same way that US "Blue Force Tracker" equipment does, updated in "near real time". The CID server will pull in this information from many different sources, most notably at the moment the controversial Bowman radios used by UK land forces.
Every node in the Bowman "radio cloud" can locate itself using onboard GPS, and this information should be passed continually to the local CIDS. The system is intended to be compatible with US Blue Force Tracker gear as well as equipment to be used by British strike pilots, artillery commanders and so on.
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bigstevie
Kingsman
Honorary Member
Posts: 197
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Post by bigstevie on Jun 7, 2009 18:35:19 GMT 1
"Blue Force tracker" is for the US to use with their forces - 'Combat ID server' will work for our lot. Wil they 'talk' to each other? That is the real key factor. Isn't Bowman now the same age as the Larkspur stuff was before we got rid of it? Wonder how much the MoD is getting ready to throw at its replacement....oh the wonderful world of defence procurement (like Disney but in DPM).
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