Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS) ACTD

Current airdrop resources are complex systems that are tied to known high threat choke points, such as: Aerial Ports of Debarkation (APOD), Seaports of Debarkation (SPODS), Drop Zones (DZs) and Ground Lines of Communication (GLOC). Airdrop deliveries can reach supply points in days or weeks making it almost incapable of responding to a dynamic operational and tactical environment.

Based on the fact that Soldiers are a projection-based force, they must have the capability to sustain combat power from strategic distances into a very dynamic and dispersed battlespace that effectively and efficiently enables them to have decisive operational superiority.

JPADS is a family of systems that have different weight ranges which will allow conventional military aircraft to accurately drop sensors, munitions, and/or a huge range of supplies onto the battlefield while minimizing risk to the aircraft and the possibility of enemy detection of aircraft drop zones. The systems will use gliding parachute decelerators, GPS-based guidance, navigation and control, weather data assimulation and an airdrop mission planning tool to deliver cargo with near pinpoint accuracy.

JPADS-ACTD is the integration of the US Air Force (USAF) Precision Airdrop System (PADS) mission planning hardware and software with the US Army Joint Precision Airdrop System-Light (JPADS-L) (10K lb. rigged weight capability). The PADS provides a wireless mission-planning tool for the JPADS-L airdrop system while on-board the aircraft. This integrated technology allows rapid pre-flight programming and in-flight mission, threat, and terrain/environment changes for immediate reaction by the user. It is the intent of the JPADS ACTD to demonstrate and assess systems and technologies that can provide a global delivery system capable of 24-hour “fort-to-fighter” distribution.

Click Here to Download a PDF version of this Fact Sheet.

Back to Top

Coming to a Theater Near You^TM

The UGR-E is a one-time use, modular, compact, self-contained unit that automatically heats group-sized meals independent of field kitchens, cooks, fuel and power. The UGR-E provides an alternative to an individual pre-packaged meal by affording Warfighters a cook-prepared meal without the cost or logistical burden of a field kitchen. It allows for heat-on-the-move and provides a group field feeding alternative. Recent accomplishments in the UGR-E development program have resulted in a 20 percent reduction in the cube of the packaged module, thus enabling 50% more UGR-Es per pallet. Based on feedback to date from OEF/OIF as well as formal field testing, the UGR-E has been on an accelerated schedule for transition to Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) for procurement and will now be available during 3QFY07 for formal procurement. Six UGR-E lunch/dinner menus, approved by the Office of the Surgeon General (OTSG), will be available initially. Breakfast menus will be added later.

The FSR is a compact, eat-on-the-move assault ration designed to be consumed during the first 72 hours of intense conflict by forward deployed Warfighters. The FSR is substantially reduced in weight and cube and enhances Warfighter consumption, nutritional intake, and mobility. The FSR transitioned to Advanced Demonstration in FY06 and was approved by the OTSG as a restricted calorie ration. The FSR was also put on an accelerated track to procurement to make it available to deployed forces as soon as possible. In 2QFY07, the NSRDEC-DoD CFD approved and submitted the FSR transition letter to DSCP for their use in procuring this new ration system. The FSR is scheduled to be available for formal procurement in 2007. As with all fielded rations, the FSR and the UGR-E will be part of a continuous product improvement program based on Warfighter feedback and technology advances. Both the FSR and UGR-E have been recognized as providing Warfighter validated new capabilities to support the asymmetric battlefield in a responsive fashion.

Click Here to Download a PDF version of the UGR-E Fact Sheet.

Click Here to Download a PDF version of the FSR Fact Sheet.

Back to Top

Spin Out

High-performance synthetic fibers for military textiles and other applications are beginning to spin out of the expanded Fiber Plant at the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Mass.

The Fiber Production and Research Facility opened here in 1977 to research and develop novel fibers because of the experience, technology, academia and government resources in the region, according to Tom Rohnstock, an equipment specialist on the Fiber Processing and Technology Team.

It started with a mono-filament extruder to develop homogeneous fibers. Newer materials (fibers) have since been developed, and in 2002 took the next step in fiber technology when the team acquired separate research and production multi-component extruders.

Instead of producing a single homogeneous fiber, the multi-component extruder can develop numerous fiber geometries such as combining a "sheath" material over a "core" material to produce a unique fiber. The resulting fiber may comprise one or more polymers and additives that could be positioned in a specific point of the fiber to provide features including anti-microbial properties, fire retardance, thermal protection, electrical conductivity or radar wave absorption, according to Peter Olejarz, Fiber Processing and Technology team leader.

"It's advantageous in a number of ways," said Louis Dittami, a research physicist. "You can position the additives just under the surface where they can exercise their function while enjoying the protection of the outer layer polymer. Materials are normally coated onto a fiber to increase their durability (i.e., water resistance, flame retardance) but their durability is limited due to the surface treatment, versus a multi-component fiber that embeds and protects the material within the fiber itself.

The mono-filament extruder remains useful in research and development of nylon, polyester, polyethelene and other synthetic fibers that are woven into items such as outerwear and tents.

Additives are evenly dispersed throughout the fiber in the mono-filament extruder, Olejarz said. With the machine, researchers have spun experimental varieties of snow camouflage fibers with ultraviolet properties, experimented on incorporating unique signature-modifying materials or identification capability directly into fibers for camouflage, and supported U.S. Department of Agriculture and Navy-sponsored efforts on biodegradable packaging.

Besides the new multi-component machine, the facility's staff has grown from two to eight employees in the past 15 years, and in September, the Fiber Plant was accredited by the International Organization for Standardization.

After a period of time to settle into the expanded plant, the team has re-focused its attention to provide research and development assistance on warfighter needs, Olejarz said, is accepting experimental ideas from Soldier Systems Center community to take advantage of their expertise.

"This day and age, most textile manufacturers are getting out of research and development because they can't afford it," Olejarz said. "It's mostly done by the government. There are companies who can do it, and it would cost a fortune."

The Fiber Processing and Technology Team is working with other government agencies to develop a new program in 2006 for innovative fiber performance to enhance comfort and survivability for warfighters.

An optical lab is in the process of being created to study additives and polymers, Rohnstock said.

The facility also is involved in a large nanotechnology program to more thoroughly integrate additives and polymers to fibers for lightweight materials. Olejarz said with vast improvements in technology in the last 10 years, there's no telling what discoveries are ahead.

Back to Top

Cool the Force

In 2002, NSRDEC completed a three-year effort with the Product Manager Air Warrior to develop a microclimate cooling capability for aircrew in the UH-60, CH-47D, and OH-58D rotary wing aircraft. Studies in a 100°F UH-60 simulator have shown that the microclimate cooling system can extend the mission duration of aircrew in MOPP IV more than three-fold. The Air Warrior Microclimate Cooling System is a liquid circulating system consisting of the Microclimate Cooling Unit (MCU) and the Microclimate Cooling Garment (MCG). The MCU circulates a chilled fluid to the tube lined MCG, which is worn under the uniform layers.

More recently, two near term microclimate cooling solutions were developed in conjunction with TARDEC and Foster Miller, Inc. to provide a cooling capability to Soldiers in HMMWVs in Iraq. After-market air conditioners installed in these vehicles have proven to be inadequate in the extreme heat, so two types of supplemental microclimate cooling systems were developed, fabricated, and shipped to Iraq in August 2004 for evaluation. The first type, an air based system, simply diverts some of the airflow from the air conditioning ducts to the Microclimatic Conditioning Air Vest worn under the uniform. In the second system, a fluid is chilled by the air conditioner using a secondary heat exchanger and pumped into the Air Warrior MCG, where body heat is removed.

NSRDEC is also working to provide microclimate cooling to dismounted users. The size, weight, and power consumption of autonomous cooling systems have traditionally precluded their use. However, the recent development of two vapor compression prototype coolers under the Future Force Warrior program in 2002 has brought this one step closer to reality. These systems, called the Compact Vapor Compression Cooling Systems, weigh less than five pounds, excluding batteries. NSRDEC will continue to push the state of the art in the development of portable microclimate cooling systems to meet the need of our Soldiers.

Click Here to Download a PDF version of this Fact Sheet.

Back to Top

Ballistic Protection to Counter the Effects of the Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) Threat

The Individual Protection Directorate’s (IPD) ongoing efforts in Ballistic Protection for the Individual Warfighter are developing technology to improve personnel armor. This is being accomplished by reducing the weight and/or increasing the level of protection. These developments can be applied to increase the level of protection offered to the individual to counter the effects of the Improvised Explosive Devises (IED) threat. Recently, IPD developed an extremity armor prototype (OTV-Extra) to increase the area of coverage offered by the Outer Tactical Vest (OTV), which is a part of the Interceptor Body Armor currently being fielded. The concept was submitted to the PM-Clothing and Individual Equipment for consideration and the upper arm module with slight modifications was adopted for limited fielding. The IPD concept built on the design that the 82nd did as an in-the field fix. IPD’s OTV-EXTRA prototype is designed for modularity and allows the user to select “modules” to be added to the Outer Tactical Vest (OTV). The concept consists of an upper arm module, upper shoulder module and a side torso module, which can be used independently or in conjunction with each other. The OTV-EXTRA is designed to have OTV levels of fragmentation and handgun protection and was demonstrated in a 1.1 lb/ft² KM2 material. Because of shortages in the higher performing ballistic materials, the three modules were designed to accommodate any soft ballistic materials at the appropriate areal density to perform similarly to those used in OTV. The side torso module was also designed with a dual use capability. It is designed to accommodate a ballistic component plus a 1-liter bladder for hydration purposes. The ballistic component demonstrated in the current torso module prototype is at the OTV fragments/handgun levels but can be upgraded to a higher fragment protective capability or to 7.62 × 39 ball protection via rigid inserts.

Upper Arm Module & Side Torso Module Rear Shoulder Module

Back to Top

Light to Electricity

Sunlight is the bright filling station above that never asks for money or runs out of fuel for photovoltaic products, and some scientists believe that "the sky is the limit" for a new generation of photovoltaic technologies in development at the U.S. Army Soldiers Systems Center in Natick, Mass.

A promising technology that's existed for decades, photovoltaic (PV) solar cells convert light energy into electricity without noise, moving parts, fuel consumption or pollutant emissions. A breakthrough arrived in the past five years when PV technology transformed from the traditional large, heavy, rigid, reflective and expensive glass panels into lightweight, conformal and inexpensive devices that can now be directly integrated into textiles and warfighter systems, according to Lynne Samuelson, a research chemist in the Science and Technology Directorate.

"There's a lot of room to grow on how power is harvested according to the ambient light," Samuelson said. "Already it's at a usable level."

It's seen as boon to the military for a variety of reasons. Warfighters could cut their battery load weight in half when PV cells are used in combination with rechargeable batteries to power individual items such as night vision goggles, according to Steven Tucker, an electrical engineer in the Collective Protection Directorate.

"On 72-hour and longer missions, it makes a lot more sense to carry rechargeable batteries," Tucker said. "You get rid of that logistics tail by minimizing re-supply with disposable batteries. The benefit/weight payback for a photovoltaic charger and rechargeable battery combination is incredibly quick, and out past 72 hours it just keeps getting better."

Less weight means better mobility, and the ability to recharge batteries on-the-move can increase sustainability, extend mission times and distance from tactical operations centers, and reduce logistics support requirements.

Replacing or decreasing the number of liquid-fuel-powered generators further reduces logistics, and lowers the heat and sound signature in the field for improved stealth. It's also a potential lifesaver as an emergency back-up power in case generators fail, say, in a field hospital.

These benefits are possible because of new lightweight and flexible solar cells made with two complementary PV technologies, amorphous silicon and dye-sensitized nanocomposites.

Of the two, the mature amorphous silicon is the "workhorse" of photovoltaic technology, Samuelson said. "Basically, wherever there's a surface, you can lay it out and generate electricity. These things are so versatile, you can make them to do whatever you want."

Iowa Thin Film Technologies in Ames, Iowa, advanced this technology through a quality award-winning Phase II Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) effort by manufacturing a .005 inch thick, rollable to 3 inches diameter and less than 1.7 ounce per 250 mm by 300 mm frame PV cell.

Furthermore, the company developed a high-speed manufacturing process for the film and a unique process that allows finished PV product to be roll-laminated directly onto large swaths of shelter fabric.

"This gets away from the heavy glass of prior PV technologies," Tucker said. "PV made from amorphous silicon is mobile and deployable. It can take abuse. I've seen it cut and punctured and still be usable. What degrades over time is the protective covering, not really the PV cell itself."

Three prototype power-generating solar units were manufactured using the speedy process. A "Power Shade" that fits over two kinds of Army tents has PV material laminated into a mesh fabric that reduces solar load by 80-90 percent while generating up to 1 kilowatt of power for shelter electronics or battery recharging. The smaller TEMPER tent fly generates up to 750 watts, and at one-fourth the size of the fly, the "Quadrant" was designed be placed wherever convenient and can be adjusted for better exposure to the sun. Its maximum power output is about 190 watts.

On a larger scale, PV cells on shelters for aircraft or field hospitals that cover thousands of square feet could generate 40-60 kilowatts of energy in peak sunlight.

"These shelters are out there in the sun baking away, so why not try to take advantage of it?" Tucker said. "This is not just a one-pronged approach. We're approaching the issue of getting power to the warfighter from all sides."

A spin-off from the SBIR is a roll-up module that charges AA batteries. Tucker said the software algorithm that controls the charger was designed to deliver more current to the battery.

"This is a big one. There's nothing out there like this that we're aware of," said Samuelson. "This is the one (Special Operations Command) is excited about and is willing to try."

A "colorful" approach to PV technology is seen in dye-sensitized nanocomposites, which brings a new wave of possibilities without any sacrifice in power output to amorphous silicon.

Out of an Army Science and Technology Objective, Konarka Technologies in Lowell, Mass., formed to develop PV cells based on light-harvesting dyes that are adsorbed onto titanium dioxide nanoparticles.

Reliable, flexible power for warfighters can be manufactured from a PV layer less than .0005 inch thick that is manufactured onto plastic and into textiles, according to Samuelson. It's made possible because of lower manufacturing temperatures that won't melt the plastic.

"The molecules give it color. We're looking at different color dyes and want to mimic the pattern used in the military," she said.

Demonstration of a photovoltaic fiber is a unique breakthrough for dye-sensitized nanocomposites, according to Samuelson, which could be woven into novel fabric-based PV devices that could be used where traditional PV devices were never thought possible, such as a detachable patch worn to prevent friendly fire or alert to chemical or biological agent contamination. Konarka's reel-to-reel processing advantage is that it's inexpensive and widely available in foreign countries, and it may fulfill a dream of the late company founder as a way to produce inexpensive electricity in underdeveloped countries, said Samuelson.

"The applications will evolve with the technology," said Tucker. "It could be applied to toys so they don't need batteries or be a way to recharge cell phones or (personal digital assistants)."

Eventually, direct integration into soldier-borne systems may create electronically-active textiles to minimize cables and connections, and provide a more streamlined and multifunctional warfighter system, according to Samuelson.

A new Science and Technology Objective, beginning this year and continuing through 2008, looks to branch out the self-powered electrotextiles theme to achieve PV power generation from virtually any surface.

Back to Top

National Protection Center (NPC)

Future Warrior Technology Integration