Tel Aviv. Elbit Systems announced on January 21 that its UK subsidiary, Elbit Systems UK Ltd. (“Elbit Systems UK”), awarded an approximately US$137 million (approximately £100 million) contract by the UK Ministry of Defence to provide the British Armed Forces with the future target acquisition solution for Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and Fire Support Teams under the Dismounted Joint Fires Integrators (“D-JFI”) program. The contract will be performed over a five-year period.
The D-JFI solution to be provided by Elbit Systems UK, is a networked, passive and active target acquisition solution that acquires, generates and communicates target information to effector systems for effective engagement of joint precision and non-precision fires. The solution is empowered by Artificial Intelligence and will interface with the radio communication systems of the British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Marines.
The D-JFI solution draws on the Company’s operational experience in providing dismounted network combat solutions. It integrates several of its technologies, including: the TORCH-X Battle Management Application; the Hattorix system for undetectable generation of high-precision targets, the CORAL Multi-Spectral electro-optical payload for enhanced target acquisition in day and night and the Rattler XR long range laser designator.
The D-JFI solution will enable fast and secured transmission of target information across the British and Allied Armed Forces, allowing swift and accurate utilization of artillery and close air support.
Martin Fausset, CEO of Elbit Systems UK, said: “It is essential for our Armed Forces to be able to operate swiftly and accurately in hostile environments. The systems to be supplied by Elbit Systems UK represent our commitment to continuously provide the most advanced technology to those on the frontline. The D-JFI solution will provide operational advantage to the British Armed Forces in an increasingly complex battlefield.”
Defence Procurement Minister Jeremy Quin said: “This contract with Elbit Systems UK not only delivers the very latest in battlefield technology to our frontline soldiers, but also invests in the British defence industry, sustaining more than 500 jobs across the UK.”
Employing over 500 people in 10 sites across the UK, Elbit Systems UK has successfully delivered on multiple projects in the UK both independently and in partnership with other British companies, most notably are the Watchkeeper UAV program for the British Army and the the UK MOD Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) program.
Elbit Systems UK was also recently selected by the UK MOD to provide the Royal Navy Future Naval Training Program, the MORPHEUS Battlefield Management Application for the British Army and networked simulators to train mounted and dismounted Joint Fires teams and Joint Fires Cells.
The Elbit future soldier systems are aimed at delivering both technological and conceptual solutions to provide advanced communications, navigation and lethality in an integrated package to the infantry.
One of the main requirements of an infantry force operating in urban areas is effective navigation systems that function in the third dimension to overcome the blockage of global positioning system signals inside urban terrain.
The Elbit target acquisition systems to be supplied to the British army is another layer of capabilities that make the infantry soldier a “war machine” with capabilities that in the past could only be see in science fiction movies.
The Elbit accessories enable the soldier to locate, identify and kill the enemy by fast target to shooter cycles not dependent on “intermediaries.”
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist
