Armada-Modern-Soldier-Compendium-AUGSEPT-2013

The German Army name for the recently delivered SMP
remains IdZ-ES while Gladius is the commercial name used
by the company for export. (Armada/P. Valpolini)
vehicle the soldier uses a break-off plug that
would disconnect without damage when
debussing the APC/IFV even if he forgets to
unplug. This plug enables the soldier to use
his headset to talk through the intracom, the
IdZ-ES batteries to reload and the C2 system
to constantly update from the vehicle C2.
With the GPS position also being updated,
the soldier will know immediately his
position upon debussing. Via the C2 system
the soldier equipped with the target
acquisition system can automatically
transmit the target position to the vehicle
C2, the latter thus being able to immediately
provide fire support.
Three target acquisition systems are
available, the Jenoptik Bird, the Vectronix
Moskito day/night observation and locating
units, and the Vectronix Vector IV BT
binocular rangefinder; the systems used
depend on the type of unit, i.e. a light
infantry squad would carry three Moskitos
and one Bird. An auto-slaving feature is
being proposed by the company but is not
part of the current Bundeswehr system,
although this may be introduced in future
batches of Boxers and in the Pumas. Seats
were also redesigned to allow IdZ-ESequipped
soldiers to properly fit in them to
ensure maximum safety in case of mine or
roadside bomb explosion.
Rheinmetall Defence will soon deliver
the kits to make the new infantry vehicles
fully apt to operate with the IdZ-ES.
Rheinmetall also received a contract and is
working with Cassidian to develop a
common interface that will allow to
integrate the IdZ-ES in the higher level
Führungs- und Informationssystems Heer,
permitting automatic transmission of
messages generated by soldiers. This
interface will be available by late 2013.
Gladius is the name given to the system
for the export market.
NORMANS
Fall 2012 marked the first deliveries of
production Normans (Norwegian Modular
Arctic Network Soldier) kits developed by a
team led by Thales Norway. The system
provides blue force tracking, navigation,
The Normans Light human-machine interface;
the Thales Norway system is being proposed
in a series of bids that look at a simple and
lightweight C2 kit. (Armada/P. Valpolini)
08 Compendium Modern Soldier Programme 2013