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The German army’s (Bundeswehr’s) Future Soldier program has
moved from concept to operational reality, with the first battalion taskforce
to be equipped with the cutting-edge IdZ-ES (Infanterist der Zukunft Erweitertes)
Gladius system deploying to Afghanistan in June.
While a number of nations, including Australia with Land 125
Project Wundurra, are developing soldier modernisation systems, Gladius is
unique both in the speed of its fielding, and in its sophistication.
Development of a basic IdZ-BS system was begun in 2004 by
EADS/Cassidian, with 282 systems, comprising equipment for 2,820 troops, now
delivered.
Two years later Rheinmetall Defence Electronics won a
competitive tender for the development of an entirely new IdZ-ES system broken
down into the core categories of clothing, protection and personal equipment;
weapons and optronics; and Command. Control, Communication, Computers and
Information (C4I).
To date funding has been authorised for 90 production-standard
IdZ-ES systems, each of which comprises 10 ensembles corresponding to the needs
of a standard infantry squad made up of a commander, deputy commander,
machinegunner, grenadier and six riflemen.
Of these, 30 systems valued at 54 million Euros ($72
million) were ordered in May 2012 and delivered by prime contractor Rheinmetall
Defence Electronics in December. A further 60 systems worth 84 million Euros
($112 million) were ordered in January and are being delivered in two tranches
of 30, the first this month and the second at the end of the year.
Roll out
Nico Hanemann, Sales Manager C4I Solders Systems at
Rheinmetall Defence, told ADM the intention is to complete the rollout of about
1,000 IdZ-ES systems by 2020 in conjunction with the continuing entry to
service of the Boxer wheeled armoured personnel carrier and Puma tracked
Infantry combat vehicle. These systems will be issued to the Bundeswehr’s
armoured, light and mountain infantry, the Luftwaffe’s ground combat support
units, and the Navy’s protection forces.
“We are offering Gladius to international customers, as it
can be modified according to the special needs and requirements of each
country,” Rheinmetall’s Oliver Hoffman, head of marketing confirmed to ADM.
“There are some potential customers who showed interest in the system and we
are now preparing hardware demonstrations for them.”
Squad members exchange voice, data and image traffic at 384
kbit/s via wideband UHF radios with a point-to-point range of about one
kilometre. The imagery and data is presented on the helmet-mounted and handheld
control and eyepiece display units equipping each soldier.
An integrated Blue Force Tracking function depicts the
position of individual squad members and provides visual support for
situational assessment.
The squad commander and his deputy also carry VHF radios
with a seven-km range for communicating by voice or integrated data link with
their platoon leader. Both use belt-mounted tablets to access data from the
brigade/battalion-level battle management system and prepare mission tasking
for porting to their squad.
This can include additional information such as elevation
profiles, and sketches which can be added to the display as graphical orders.
Pre-formatted messages can be prepared to save time in critical situations.
A third network consists of a Bluetooth link transmitting
target data from thermal imagers integrated with the laser rangefinder on each
soldier’s weapon to his core computer, and on to other squad members.
The core computer, including a battery management system,
integrates the IdZ-ES C4I equipment of a squad member. This comprises GPS and
inertial navigation, squad radio, night vision goggles with an infrared module,
integrated compass, control unit with display, helmet-mounted display, and
digital magnetic compass. The individual components of the so-called electronic
back are mounted on a shock-proof panel and integrated with the personal
carriage system.
Keys on the handheld control unit together with control and
press-to-talk (PTT) buttons on weapons allow both the radios and the laser
range finder to be operated while weapons are held at the ready.
The command and control system is linked to the squad
vehicle via a vehicular version of the Thales SOLAR 400-EG-E squad radio. This not
only allows effective support of dismounted troops with the vehicle’s weapons,
but also access by the infantry to data from the vehicle’s own surveillance
sensors.
Mounted soldiers are integrated with the onboard network via
an umbilical which transfers voice and data via Internet Protocol as well as
providing power, and buffering for the soldiers’ batteries.
Weaponry
The primary weapon for Gladius remains the Heckler and Koch
G36 5.56mm assault rifle and its shorter-barrelled 36K variant, many with an AG36
underslung 40mm grenade launcher.
These are backed by the Heckler and Koch MG4 belt-fed 5.56mm
machine gun, the G82 Barrett 0.5 calibre anti-materiel sniper rifle, MP7
4.6x30mm submachine gun, and shoulder-launched anti-tank weapons.
While the assault rifles retain their 3x4 telescopic sight,
this is no longer integrated in the carrying handle and is fitted on a
Picatinny rail to provide a flatter line of sight and increased modularity. The
foldaway shoulder stock on the G36K can be adjusted lengthways to better adapt
to body armour.
The Gladius clothing system is designed on the onionskin
principle with each layer carrying heat and humidity away from the body. A
range of inner and outerware covers operations in temperatures ranging from
-32deg to +45degC.
Clothing materials are fire resistant, reduce thermal
signature, and include a newly-developed NBC capability which for the first
time provides a high degree of protection against aerosols.
Level 1 antishrapnel protection provided by a soft covert
vest worn over almost-seamless underwear that features a hydrophilic membrane.
Protection can be increased to Level 4 (defence against three 7.62mm hits
within 10 cm of each other) by form-fitted front and back armour plates.
The load bearing system is size-graded to the individual
soldier and the load bearing vest is made of stab and impact resistant
material, offering basic protection in combination with the covert vest. The
system has a quick release and can be doffed within two seconds.
Disclosure – Julian Kerr travelled to Unterluess as a guest
of Rheinmetall Defence