Raytheon displays LRSS prototype for Canadian Army

Canadian Army's LAV-III

31 May 2012 army-technology.com

LAV-IIIRaytheon Technical Services Company (RTSC) has displayed its Light Armoured Vehicle Reconnaissance Surveillance System (LRSS) prototype for the Canadian Army's Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV)-III upgrade programme in Ottawa, Canada.

According to the company, the system will provide LAV-III with improved flexibility, enabling the vehicle to support on-the-move intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

RTSC Depot Support Systems product line director Rudolph Lewis said: "Raytheon believes that on-the-move reconnaissance and surveillance is a game changer for the Canadian Army.

"This, coupled with the ability to conduct on-board imagery exploitation and to receive auto-cueing information from unmanned aerial vehicles and unattended ground sensors, provides the Canadian Army with unprecedented mission flexibility."

The system's architecture allows the LAV-III to generate high-fidelity digital ISR information at the collection point inside the vehicle, followed by direct reporting to the base commander, reducing workload and improving operator effectiveness.

Using tripods, the LRSS works with off-board sensors from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unattended ground sensors, in both LAV-III-mounted and dismounted configuration; it will act as a 'smart node' in the overall Canadian Intelligence Surveillance Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) project.

"Raytheon believes that on-the-move reconnaissance and surveillance is a game changer for the Canadian Army."

SRI Sarnoff, Raytheon's integration partner, has supplied enhanced 3D immersive situational awareness and command, control, communication and computers (C4) ISR systems for the LRSS; this is in addition to and on-the-move rated telescopic mast for the LRSS Integrated Sensor System.

Mark Clifton, vice president of SRI Sarnoff products and services division, said: "Our real-time video processing products, including TerraSight, integrated with the RTSC solution, will provide field-proven C4ISR capabilities built on US Army standards for the Canadian Army's LAV-III Upgrade Project."

The LAV-III project involves retrofitting 550 vehicles, with an option for an additional 80, to help extend the fleet's life span until 2035.

Built by General Dynamics Land Systems, the LAV III is an advanced mechanised infantry vehicle, designed to transport troops on the battlefield, while offering sufficient defensive protection and firepower.