Army - The Soldiers' Newspaper

Field testing is an important part of the DSTO concepts and modelling of soldier combat systems. The soldier carries the modular weapons system

A soldier wearing a soldier combat system waits inside the DSTO SSIMC centre at RAAF Edinburgh, SA while a a small unit robot investigates a room. Photos provided by DSTO

Field testing is an important part of the DSTO concepts and modelling of soldier combat systems. The soldier carries the modular weapons system

DSTO scientist Dr Wayne Hobbs, right, observes a simulation test in the SSIC centre.
Photos provided by DSTO

A member of 1RAR tests a Project Wundurra prototype system at Singleton in 2002
Photo by Bill Cunneen

Project Wundurra is enhancing the capabilities of the infantry soldier and combat units through the development of new concepts and technologies using field studies and modelling

Starship troopers
It may seem to be the stuff of science fiction but, thanks to DSTO and the team from Project Land 125, the modern soldier could soon be equipped with systems to enhance the infantry of today lightyears in capability from their Anzac forefathers

By Stephen Butler
As the Army strives to meet the challenges and needs of the future soldier science underpins much of what is being done and what will be achieved.

DSTO is undertaking a forward-looking program of work at its Edinburgh facility near Adelaide to develop and evaluate technologies and concepts, which might feature as part of the future digger’s kit.

“Pieces of equipment under consideration include small unit robots and a modular soldier combat system for investigating user interface and useability issues with the major focus on human factors,” DSTO’s Dr Wayne Hobbs said.

“For example, as far as the robotics program is concerned, DSTO’s primary interest is not the development of a hardened robotic vehicle, but identifying how soldiers would interact with it on the battlefield.

“The important issues here are what sort of roles the robotic vehicle would play and how it would be controlled. Hence, an important area of research is in the use of artificial intelligence or intelligent agents.”

To undertake these investigations, DSTO is also developing the underlying framework and methodologies for the evaluation of technologies that might support the future soldier. This happens in a facility at Edinburgh known as the Soldier System Integration and Modelling Capability (SSIM-C) where a range of tools and techniques are employed, from computer-based simulation and wargaming to laboratory studies and field trials.

DSTO also supports the Army’s current soldier modernisation program, Project Wundurra, by contributing to the investigation of the United States’ Land Warrior System.

By evaluating the American system, and taking note of lessons learned in its development, Project Wundurra aims to produce a variant tailored to Australia’s needs addressing issues of doctrine, logistics support, environment and other factors.

Under Wundurra, equipment such as intra-section radios, thermal weapons sights, improved load carriage and a new helmet are being introduced to 2RAR. DSTO will be looking at the impact of this equipment on doctrine and evaluating its performance to provide guidance on Australian needs.

From Leut Greg Keeley
in Washington
Ties between the Australian Army and their US counterparts have been reinforced with a formal agreement to jointly develop the next generation combat capability, the soldier as a system.

In a ceremony at the Pentagon recently, Under Secretary Defence Materiel Mick Roche and Assistant Secretary for the US Army Claude Bolton exchanged letters of intent cementing a strategic alliance between Project Wundurra and the US Land Warrior programs for the cooperative development of Soldier Combat Systems.

During the ceremony, Mr Bolton said the agreement would enhance both nations’ capability and interoperability by sharing the fruits of the extensive investments of Australia and the US’s research and technology development in developing the soldier as a system to minimise divergence in configurations and support arrangements.

“I want you to know that the US Deptartment of Army shares your desire to seek effective and beneficial cooperation on Soldier Systems Programs and intends to use its best efforts to ensure that the understandings and cooperation outlined in the letters we will exchange today are achieved in and efficient and expeditious manner, ” he said.

In response, Mr Roche thanked Mr Bolton for his support of the Land 125 initiative.

“Wundurra is a strategically important project for Defence and is one of the biggest Land projects ever with Defence planning to invest around AUD1 billion in the Project over the next 8 to 10 years,” he said.

“It will equip our close combat soldiers which have been at the cutting edge of recent operational deployment, mostly along side our US friends, in Somalia, East Timor, Afghanistan with the right equipment to fight and survive on the battlefields of the future.

“It will provide the integrating function for all equipment carried and used by our close combat soldiers and will take integration for the combat soldier to a level we have never tried to reach before.”

Wundurra is currently in its Project Definition Stage and intends fielding the first version of the Wundurra Soldier Combat System in 2007.

The US Army has a similar, but further advanced, soldier system project – Land Warrior – which recently completed initial operational test and evaluation of its Initial Capability version.

While this version will not be fielded immediately due to reliability concerns, it will provide the basis for the development of the next version – Stryker Interoperable – which is also due for fielding in the 2007 timeframe.

Since the signing ceremony, a member of the Land 125 team has taken up a position in the Land Warrior Progrm at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, to support the US Soldier as a System Project activities.