New approach targets friendly force protection for troops in close air support settings
Cambridge, Massachusetts (June 12, 2009) – Energid Technologies Corporation has been funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a new friendly force protection system for our ground troops supporting close air support (CAS) tactics. Our system, Robotic Shield, will enable a protective shield through the exchange of real-time positional and trajectory data between the incoming bombs and the troops on the ground.
Today, in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, CAS operations are directed on the ground by Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs). JTACs often hide in forward positions close to enemy operations and call in strikes on enemy targets. The purpose of a JTAC is to help pilots select targets and minimize collateral damage. Preventing fratricide and civilian casualties is a top priority.
The noble mission of the JTAC comes with its own risk – it often places the JTAC close to the very targets on which he is calling fire. A JDAM bomb has a reported accuracy of better than 30 meters (50% of the time) when GPS is jammed. Assuming the strike goes as planned, the blast from a 2,000 pound JDAM can leave a crater 50 ft wide while spraying lethal fragments over 350 meters away. An errant strike due to an accident or malfunction can place the JTAC in danger. Robotic Shield will protect the JTAC and other warfighters from these errant strikes. An equipped JDAM entering a zone too close to the JTAC will not arm.
“We believe this novel technology can help protect JTACs while not compromising their position or weapon-system integrity,” said James Bacon, Principal Investigator at Energid Technologies. “The method of transmission between the bomb and JTAC equipment will prevent enemy interception or detection.”
Robotic Shield will consist of two small pieces of low-cost, ruggedized equipment including one co-located with the friendly ground forces and one embedded in the bomb. These two components will enable access to real-time position and trajectory data while the bomb is in flight.
JTACs have the difficult assignment of targeting an enemy that often hides in public places near schools and other sensitive locations. “While JTACs look out for innocents,” said James English, Chief Technical Officer at Energid Technologies, “Robotic Shield will look out for them.”
DARPA is the primary research and development office for the US Department of Defense and is responsible for the research of new technology for our military. DARPA’s mission is to advance US military technology beyond our enemies.
Work on the project will be done in Massachusetts, Arizona, and Illinois.
For more information, contact Mary Salzman at Energid Technologies, (617) 401-7090 x 420.
About Energid Technologies
Energid Technologies develops robotic systems and products for the aerospace, agriculture, transportation, defense, and medical industries. Energid’s ActinTM and SelectinTM products provide advanced robotics technology in the form of extensible software toolkits. Energid specializes in the sensing, control, and simulation of complex systems.
© 2009 Energid Technologies Corporation. All rights reserved. Actin, Selectin, and the Energid logo are trademarks of Energid Technologies Corporation.
