US Army, CECOM Acquisition Center, Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey 07703-5008

99 -- MOUNTED WARRIOR PROGRAM DUE 103197 POC Point of Contact -- Jose Rivera Cotto, Project Director, 703-704-2571 E-MAIL: MOUNTED WARRIOR PROGRAM, jrivera@pmsoldier.belvoir.army.mil. The Program Manager, Soldier (PM-SOLDIER) is seeking information on technologies available to support the Mounted Warrior (MW) Program. This is a market survey conducted by the Department of the Army to gather information, not a solicitation announcement. MW is an integrated modular system that will enhance the crewman's fighting capabilities. The MW system will be used by a wide variety of crewmen, to include armor, field artillery, air defense artillery, military police, ordnance, engineers, and infantry soldiers specifically requiring MW systems. The physical burden imposed by cumbersome personal equipment can degrade the crewman's effectiveness by increasing rates of fatigue, reducing mobility and restricting his ability to perform mission functions. The MW system will optimize the crewman's lethality, Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I), survivability, mobility, and sustainment, while minimizing the crewman's load bearing requirement. The system will be capable of functioning and supporting the crewmen in hot, basic, and cold climatic conditions, will be aurally nondetectable and will be capable of surviving in a combat environment. The MW system shall resist Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) deception and jamming. Responses may address the integrated system, or may address any one or more of the system components. The requirements identified below are being considered for the MW system. These are tentative requirements and may be modified based on the responses to this request for information. 1. Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence and Sensors (C4I&S). MW shall provide the ability to leverage host platform communications, sensor, and command and control capabilities. a. MW will provide a modular communication system for the wireless use of host platform radio and intercom systems while dismounted. Full duplex communication is required. The modular system will also function as a stand-alone device for communications from soldier to soldier. The system will provide an integrated charging capability and will be powered by the host platform power during mounted operations. While dismounted, the MW shall be capable of operating for an extended period of time without recharging. Interconnectivity with all existing Army platform intercom systems is required. Intercom communications will be maintained if the connection to the intercom system is inadvertently disconnected. Total alarm awareness will be maintained with no degradation via the host platform intercom system in both mounted and dismounted operations. The probability of detection and interception of radio and intercom communications will be minimized. Radio communications will not be relayed by the system but shall be relayed by the host platform. The system shall provide the means to access the radio in the host platforms that are not equipped with an intercom system. b. The system shall provide for viewing of Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2) or similar tactical command and control screens while standing in the hatch via a helmet mounted display (HMD). Direct connection from the Thermal Weapon System (TWS) or the Target Acquisition and Location System (TALS) to the HMD via standard format is required to support crew activities while dismounted. Display of Command and Control (C2) information is required when mounted and dismounted. HMD will incorporate a detachable night vision capability and a monochrome display (color desired) of sufficient resolution to show simple message formats, sight reticles, warning messages, images from the TALS and sight videos from the weapon system platform, FBCB2 maps, and other data while wearing eye protection. The MW HMD shall provide controls for adjustment of contrast, brightness, and focusing of the display and Image Intensifier (I2) capability. c. While dismounted, MW will provide a TALS for long range surveillance, rangefinding, all-weather aiming of small arms, and target location under all conditions of daylight, darkness, and through obscurants. TALS must be able to detect and recognize man-sized targets and vehicle sized targets. TALS shall provide for eye-safe laser rangefinding and contain a digital compass. TALS will have a Global Positioning System (GPS) or capability for Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver (PLGR) input to accurately identify the operators current position using a grid coordinate reference system for targets. TALS will have its own display, and must have video output capability to connect the to the helmet mounted display. TALS shall be hand held and/or rail mounted on a weapon using either an integral rail (such as M16A1/A2) or a weapon modified with the Modular Weapon System (MWS) kit (such as M4 with MWS). d. A new conceptual approach is desired for the MW Crewman Helmet, which has improved facial, aural, and ballistic protection. 2.Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) Protection. MW shall provide the crewman with improved biological and chemical protection, the ability to remotely monitor host platform NBC sensors andto use host platform air filtration systems. The components worn/carried by the crewman will consist of a communication linkage to host-platform NBC sensors, individual decontamination equipment, an individual protective mask, and a protective clothing system. All modular MW NBC components will be NBC contamination survivable and will be integrated with the individual crewman's uniform whenever possible. The improved NBC protection for the crewman may consist of the following: a. A Flame Resistant (FR) NBC Protective Overgarment or one that also incorporates wet weather protection, with or without an integrated hood. b.A FR NBC protective duty uniform that incorporates all of the characteristics of the basic uniform described below. c.A FR NBC protective overboot sized to fit over the Mounted Crewman Boot. d.A FR NBC protective glove that provides high tactility and dexterity. e.A lightweight, inexpensive, chemical suit that can be worn over the standard MW clothing configuration (including body armor, etc.)when exiting the vehicle for short periods of time. The suit should be capable of being worn for several missions if it is not contaminated. The protection time after contamination should be at least 2 hours. f.A NBC protective mask that interfaces with the in-helmet communication system, the overgarment/duty uniform, and that incorporates laser eye protective systems. g.A means to quickly assess if any components of the crewman's system has been contaminated so that it may be disposed of and to prevent the crewman from bringing contamination into the vehicle. h.A means for personal decontamination of clothing and individual equipment.All NBC components of the MW system must provide protection against the full range and challenge level of chemical warfare agents in liquid, vapor and aerosol forms and should be easily donned and doffed. Except for item 2.e., protection time after contamination should be at least 24 hours, protection against multiple challenges is desired. Wear life should be a minimum of 7 days with 60 days desired. Longer wear times require that uniforms be launderable. 3.Clothing and Individual Equipment (CIE). MW shall provide the crewmen improved CIE tailored for mounted operations. CIE, communications, and NBC modular components must be integrated together to form a flexible ensemble. MW CIE will consist of protective boots, a coverall with quick medevac capability, cold weather coverall liners, individual armor protection, small arms holster, a tailorable load bearing capability, directed energy eye protection, wet-weather protection, cold-weather head and face protection, and safety/cold weather gloves. a. Uniform Ensemble. The MW uniform shall be a one-piece design that provides permanent anti-static protection and fire retardant protection. It shall provide waste elimination without complete removal of the suit, and the garment shall have anti-fungus, anti-mold, and anti-bacterial properties to prevent disease in a combat situation as the crewman wears the garment for extended periods without washing. Separate hand and foot protection must provide the crewman with protection against heat, flame, and hazardous fluids at a level of equal to or better than the current crewman's components. All uniform components must minimize mission performance degradation when operating under various environmental extremes. Uniform components (one-piece uniform, gloves and boots) must be sized to fit the 5th through 95th percentile. b. Ballistic Protection. The MW System must provide increased, tailorable protection, flexibility/ mobility, and compatibility with other CIE, while optimizing weight and bulk. The system must provide protection from the ballistic threats found on the battlefield, to include traditional fragmentation, small arms weapons (7.62mm ball and under), flechettes, and spall. The system shall cover abdominal and the chest cavity area, front and back. The ballistic protection must be compatible with the MW load carrying system and microclimate environmental system. c. Eye Protection. The MWsystem must provide protection from sun, wind, dust, and laser threats (2 and 3 line required, tunable desired) for the crewman's eyes. This level of protection shall be incorporated into a separate goggle system as well as the visor assembly of the crewman's helmet. The system must also provide limited ballistic protection for the crewman's eyes. The eye protection shall provide a better field of view and increased ballistic protection than the current goggles. d.Load Carrying Equipment (LCE). The MW requires the integration of an ergonomically designed load carrying system that can be worn, without snagging, while the crewman is mounted on the host platform. The system must functionally integrate with the required body armor system, microclimate environmental system (if required), and be designed for maximum comfort. The system must not impede the performance of the individual and must be easily and rapidly donned and doffed, within 10 seconds. The items that the crewman currently wears (i.e., pistol belt,suspenders, canteens, first aid pouch, and weapon holster) shall be replaced with more ergonomically designed items that fit snugly and comfortably on the body. Where applicable, an ambidextrous holster for the 9mm pistol or future personal weapon must be provided. The system should also provide a carrier for a survival knife in the event the crewman becomes separated from his platform for an extended period of time. This notice is not a request for bids or proposals, but rather a survey to insight into the existence of sources and technologies that can support the MW Program. Written responses to this request for information are due 31 Oct 1997 to PM-SOLDIER, Attention: Jose A. Rivera Cotto, 10401 Totten Road, Suite 121, Ft. Belvoir, VA 22060-5852. (0276)

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