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07 Apr 08. In March 2007 Don Skosky, VP Program Management, Defense Systems, DRS Sustainment Systems, gave BATTLESPACE Editor Julian Nettlefold an update on the company’s highly successful Knight Targeting System. DRS Technologies is the prime contractor for the M707 Armoured Knight program.
DRS Sustainment Systems, Inc.'s Knight is a precision targeting system consisting of a laser designator/rangefinder, thermal imager, digital command and control, blended inertial/GPS navigation and targeting, and a self-defense weapon. Its mission is to provide precision far target location and laser target designation for both artillery and air-delivered general purpose and precision-guided munitions.
BATTLESPACE interviewed Jim Marshall, Business Development Manager, DRS SSI about current developments of the Knight Program.
“The Knight system was developed in 1995 with the AN/TVQ-2 Ground/Vehicular Laser Locator/Designator (G/VLLD) and the AN/TAS-4B thermal sight as a result of a partnership between the then ESSI, now DRS Sustainment Systems, and United Defense (UDLP) now BAE Land Systems. The project was to develop a Mission Equipment package, designated M-7 BFIST on the Bradley chassis. This resulted in an order for 169 Knight systems plus spares,” Jim Marshall said. (See: BATTLESPACE UPDATE Vol.9 ISSUE 10, 10th March 2007, DRS UPDATES BATTLESPACE ON KNIGHT PROGRAM)
“How did the system then develop?”
“Recent conflicts reinforced the critical importance of ground-based precision targeting capability to the successful execution of both close air and fire support on the non-linear, asymmetric battlefield. The need for "eyes on the ground" to rapidly acquire, precisely locate, positively identify, and effectively engage threat targets - with minimal collateral damage - has never been greater,” Marshall said.
Latterly, DRS Sustainment Systems, Inc. developed further versions of the Knight fire support system under the US Army's Warfighting Rapid Acquisition Program (WRAP) to meet this pressing requirement for a mobile targeting platform for its heavy and light division forward observers. Universally hailed as a model for the WRAP program, Knight progressed from concept to prototype in eight months. DRS has received orders for 227 M1025 A2 HMMWV-based Knight systems and 116 cupolas on the Stryker vehicle. Both the HMMWV and Stryker-mounted systems are currently in full-rate production. The Knight system was designed from the outset to be both platform and sensor independent.
The current US Army production version integrates the base Knight targeting and communications package including the Raytheon FS3 along with the Laser Designator Module. The payload provides the targeting accuracy sufficient to support precision-guided munitions, such as JDAM and Excalibur. The Knight system is mounted on the HUMVEE, Stryker and more recently, the M1117 Armoured security Vehicle (ASV).
Knight is a vehicle that supports artillery fire missions. Several types of munitions can be directed: laser-designated munitions , precision target location munitions, and conventional artillery. Knight gives an extremely accurate designator of the target, or provides a precise target grid location. Knight is the only system in serial production today with targeting accuracy equivalent to the delivery accuracies of today's precision guided munitions such as JDAM and Excalibur.
Knight's position/navigation subsystem combines inputs from a laser rangefinder, inertial navigation unit, GPS receiver, and a vehicle motion sensor to provide self-location, navigation, and far target location data. This data is then automatically formatted within the fire support tactical data system for immediate digital transmission as a call-for-fire or other message. Position and targeting data can also be incorporated into other battlefield command and control systems as necessary.
In October 2006, DRS received a $38.9m order for 107 Knight systems mounted on the Textron M1117 Armoured Security Vehicle, from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command’s (TACOM) Life Cycle Command - the U.S. Army designates the new configuration as the M1200 — (Knight system plus M1117 vehicle.)
The current Armoured Knight system relies on a SINCGARS radio for target relay but, given mountainous terrain (in areas like Afghanistan and thus less opportunity for line-of-sight transmissions), DRS developed an ‘A’ kit to allow for fits of an HF radio system which can utilise satcom for transmissions.
“We have recently delivered nineteen Armoured Knight systems with four fielded under an Urgent Material Release to support the current Operational Needs Statement for deployment with the 101st Airborne in Afghanistan. We are currently under contract for 64 systems under the FY ’06 Budget, 43 in FY ’07 Budget, giving a total of 107. We have just submitted a Not To Exceed (NTE) bid for a further 82 systems for FY ’08. DRS is scheduled for Full Material Release in July of this year.”
“Have you had any overseas interest?”
“We have fulfilled an Australian Requirement to install a surveillance system on the ASLAV (Bushmaster vehicle). This system is mast mounted and incorporates an M-Star radar in addition to the day camera, FLIR and LRF opitics suite. The system has also been sold to Israel under FMS. There is considerable interest from the U.K. for similar systems but we have certain ITAR restrictions on the Knight EO/IR package.”
“The LRAS/FS3 Night Vision system was developed by Raytheon under a contract let by the U.S. Army Night Vision Laboratories out of Fort Belvoir by PM FLIR. The sensor is supplied by Raytheon but contains internal optical subsystems coming from DRS.”
“Has the U.S. Army completed its buy?”
“No, we understand that additional units are budgeted through FY11. Also the FCS transformation and a reevaluation of the force structure required by a Brigade Combat Team, that there will be further demand for Armoured Knight from PM Heavy Brigade Combat team and PM Fire Support Platforms, the Program Managers.”
“We are pleased to be involved with a program that is addressing critical soldier survivability while providing technology performance enhancements. DRS is proud to have been able to respond to an Operational Needs Statement and deliver units several months ahead of schedule. We also are on track to improve on the Army’s production acceleration request. Additionally, we are investing corporate funds to develop a product to allow the existing system to be fully exploited with the operator under armor. There is no fielded system today that will combine the same level of targeting precision and crew safety.”, Jim Marshall said.
Specifications: (based on current U.S. Army production version M707 Knight)
Target Location (NATO std tgt):
< 20m CEP /<15m PE @ 5 km
<30m CEP / <25m PE @ 10 km
Unaffected by loss of GPS signal input
Automated digital interface of target data to artillery/battle management systems
Laser Designation (NATO std tgt): 5 km (stationary tgt) / 3 km (moving tgt)
Incorporates up to 4 multi-band Combat Net Radios
Land Navigation: Blended GPS/INS with odometer input Up to 100 stored waypoints
Silent Watch Duration: 2 hrs @ 0degC
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