Australia Turns to Elbit for its Battle Management System
Mar 16, 2010 18:03 EDT
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In March 2010, Elbit Systems Ltd. announced a major contract win under Australia’s LAND 75 Phase 3.4 (Battle Management System) and LAND 125 Soldier Combat System Phase 3 programs, following a 2007 tender. The A$ 331 (about $298 million) contract will see Elbit supply, integrate, install and support of a Battle Group and Below Command, Control and Communications (BGC3) system for the Australian Army over the next 3 years.
Most advanced militaries are fielding systems like this, and the US Army uses a well-known analogue called “FBCB2”. It’s colloquially known as “Blue Force Tracker,” after the component that shows the location of all friendly forces and identified enemies on a digital map, and allows the exchange of messages and data. Such “Battle Management Systems” (BMS) change the kinds of operations commanders can plan and execute, and also reduce the risk of friendly fire. Australia’s DoD has faced criticism for having a shortage of such systems.
Elbit Systems’ LAND 75 Phase 3.4/ LAND 125 Phase 3 BMS set will represent the core of the Australian Army’s future BMS capability. It will be integrated in over 1,000 Army vehicles, and equip over 1,500 soldiers.
BMS systems need to be integrated with back-end command and control (C2), and Saab Systems Australia has been busy migrating Australia’s Battlefield Command Support Systems (BCSS) to a Windows NT-based system, during LAND 75 Phases 1 to 3.3.
Australia’s “Hardened and Networked Army” push has many components to it, but one important milestone involves fielding a networked brigade with cutting edge technology in battle management and communications systems. With the completion of this BMS project, Australia expects to reach that goal in 2012.
Contracts & Key Events
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June 5/11: BAE Systems Australia announces an $A 4.9M million contract from Elbit Systems to upgrade 777 military vehicles, including Macks, Unimogs, Bushmasters and M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers, for the installation of a Battle Group and Below Command, Control and Communications (BGC3) system under LAND 200.
BAE Systems Australia will carry out the installation activities on the Mack, Unimog and Bushmaster vehicles at the Meeandah Military Facility in Brisbane, and on the M113 APCs at the new 7RAR Facility at Edinburgh Parks in northern Adelaide.
Aug 31/10: Harris Corporation announces a 3-year, $9.5 million contract from Elbit systems to provide engineering services under Australia’s Land 200 communications modernization program, by integrating its tactical radio systems into the Battle Management System being developed by Elbit.
Harris radio systems will form part of the secure communications backbone for the ADF’s Land 75, Land 125 and Joint Project 2072 command, control and communications modernization programs, including authorized purchase of “Type 1” encryption. Harris radios supplied to Australia will include the AN/PRC-152-C multiband handheld radios, AN/PRC-117G wideband, AN/PRC-117F multiband, and AN/PRC-150-C high-frequency (HF) manpack radios; but the PRC-152-C is the largest component. It will connect soldiers to the ADF’s central Battle Management System, serve as a hub for other soldier-carried C4 devices, be plugged into VRC-110 vehicular amplifier adapters in more than 1,000 armored vehicles.
March 15/10: Award announced. Australian DoD | Elbit release [MS Word]
