Closing an Optics Gap

Written by Marty Kauchak

The Marine Corps continues to make a significant investment in thermal systems. Since 2005 alone, the service’s PM Optics and Non-Lethal Systems (ONS) office has procured about $1.9 billion worth of lasers, sights and other materiel under its oversight.

Driven by new operational lessons learned, this product portfolio continues to evolve. In November 2008, Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM) representatives met with their industry counterparts to conduct market research for a heavy weapon thermal sight-remote viewer (HWTS-RV) and squad thermal capability (STC). The conference allowed industry vendors to provide ONS with a state-of-the-art overview of their fielded and R&D thermal system. Similarly, the event allowed the ONS office to provide a draft road map that might be used if MARCORSYSCOM received formal, service requirements for one or both initiatives. If either or both of these requirements are received, PM ONS intends to award the appropriate contract by September 30, 2009.

TOWARD A REMOTE-VIEWING CAPABILITY

The Marine Corps has two HWTS sights in its inventory: the AN/PAS-13C (V)3 and its 13D (V3) sibling. “We have an issue with both sights operationally,” PM ONS Support team, told the conference attendees. In one instance, the operator, using the thermal weapon sight mounted on a heavy machine gun, must depress the eye cup in order to engage the sight, pull the trigger, and keep his eye in the cup to maintain a sight picture on the target. “He basically gets a ‘glaucoma test’ at the cyclic rate of fire because of that eye cup,” said Berry. Further, when a Marine is positioned on a vehicle turret equipped with an MK-19 or a .50 cal heavy machine gun, he is not able to get behind the sight and effectively engage the target unless the vehicle is stopped.

MARCORSYSCOM is seeking to fill this capability gap by providing a remote viewing capability to the ground- or vehicle- employed Marine heavy gunner. The materiel solution would allow the gunner to conduct surveillance and detect, recognize, identify and accurately engage targets while using the two legacy HWTSs without the need to maintain direct view through the eyepiece assembly. Indeed, the viewing distance from the eyepiece for the weapon-mounted version is expected to be between 8 and 18 inches.

The PM ONS is considering five materiel solutions to obtain the remote viewing capability:

• head-mounted monocular in the form of a pair of goggles or glasses that would directly attach to a Marine's head

• helmet-mounted monocular that would fold down from the Marine’s lightweight helmet

• head- or helmet-mounted binocular that would provide two views through a set of goggles or glasses. According to Berry, “this would have some type of see-through view port where the Marine could still look out around him but still see what the weapon is looking at.”

• weapon-mounted display that would be mounted off to the side of the weapon as a viewer

The PM ONS team has an ambitious schedule to field an HWTS-RV. After an envisioned request for information (RFI) and solicitation period ends in January 2009, a follow-on concept evaluation is planned for late that same month. The evaluation will be the capstone event that will allow Marines to put candidate industry systems through a number of rigorous live-fire range and other service objectives. Based on the results of the assessment, Marine Corps Combat Doctrine Command is expected to issue a formal requirement for an HWTS-RV no later than May 9, 2009. An HWTS-RV contract “is expected to be awarded no later than September 30, 2009, and that will be very tight,” predicted Berry.

The vendors at the conference attributes options. received a ally, Michael Berry, senior project officer, Thermal IPT, and senior program management analyst, Marine s head received insights on envisioned butes for the five remote viewer o A number of these attributes rec “must-have” label.

Two of PM ONS’s initial must-have requirements for the remote viewer on the four head- and helmet-mounted versions include the RV mounting on the service’s lightweight helmet or on the Marine’s head as a set of glasses or goggles, and a system that weighs less than 8 ounces (0.2 kilograms) with batteries. Of interest, the weapon-mounted RV option does not have a system weight requirement.

Berry cautioned the vendors that his team has seen “some of the products that have goggles that mount on the helmet, and there is a counterweight on the back of the helmet, which is a battery. We don’t want that.” He added that this decision results from his office’s competition with Program Manager Individual Combat Equipment for available, limited space on the servicemember’s helmet.

Several characteristics for the one weapon- mounted RV version include a system that mounts on the side (threshold requirement) or rear (objective requirement) of the M2HB or MK-19, an RV that can withstand the shock of weapons fire and a viewer that possesses night security features.

There will be common attributes among the five proposed RV solutions. PM ONS envisions the remote viewer will interface with the 19-pin connector equipped on the HWTS. More details about the interface will be provided to industry during the formal RFI and solicitation period.

The RV for all five variants will also be expected to have a frame rate between 30 (threshold) and 60 (objective) hertz, with the viewer’s display expected to be between 320 by 240 (threshold) and 640 by 480 (objective) pixels. Additionally, all RV solutions must use batteries in the service’s inventory.

A complete updated list of attributes and accompanying threshold and objective for the RVs will be contained in the RFI.

The potential approved acquisition objective of the HWTS-RV will likely match the number of HWTSs that will be fielded to the service. “There are approximately 5,280 HWTS units being procured on our behalf by the U.S. Army,” Captain Geraldine Carey, MARCORSYSCOM spokesperson, told SOTECH. She also noted, “The number of HWTS-RV that might be put on contract may be less than the number of HWTS due to funding constraints or shifting needs.”

SQUAD THERMAL CAPABILITY

The Marine Corps also has an evolving requirement for a commercial non-developmental item device that is both or either a lightweight, pocket-sized short-range thermal imaging system weapon-mounted, and/ or a clip-on thermal night sight that can be used in conjunction with the AN/PVQ-31- A/B rifle combat optic (RCO). The pocket thermal’s imaging system will be integrated with an ANSI Z136.1-2000 Class 1 eye-safe infrared laser pointer that is compatible with the service’s existing image intensifying (I2) night optics.

The pocket thermal model will be fielded to leaders of fire teams, squad, reconnaissance teams and machine guns. The device will augment the capability of I2 systems such as the AN/PVS-7, AN/PVS-14, AN/PVS- 17B/C and AN/PVS-24 systems to detect and recognize potential targets, danger areas and other items of interest and designate them with an integrated IR laser pointer.

Thermal imaging augments the I2 headand helmet-mounted systems by providing all weather imaging capability in all lighting conditions, including total darkness. “This mitigates a capability gap, by enabling target detection and recognition in conditions that day optics and I2 devices cannot operate,” Carey pointed out.

Included on the PM ONS’s must-have list for the pocket thermal system is a digital zoom capability, the ability to mount to the lightweight helmet for hands-free operation and field of view of at least 25 degrees, and a system weight of between 20 (threshold) and 14 (objective) ounces.

The two other envisioned STC variants are either a weapon-mounted clip-on thermal night sight or a hybrid model with both systems’ characteristics. Regarding a hybrid option, Berry noted, “We need to see what industry has, to see what you are doing and even see if this is feasible.”

Operators will recognize and appreciate the PM ONS’s early expectations for a clip-on thermal capability used in conjunction with the AV/PVQ-31A/B RCO.

The clip-on device will be placed in front of the RCO and will present a 1x image, compared to the RCO being a 4x optic device. When viewed through the RCO, the clip-on system will also present an image consistent with the geometry and size of that presented by the day optic alone.

Berry pointed out two other overarching attributes of the clip-on thermal capability. “The controls of this device should be located at the shooter’s fingertips, which will allow him to maintain full control of the weapon at all times with both hands. That means that there should be a clip-on, a bolt-on, or a tape-on control that should be located on the hand guard or the shooter’s pistol grip— either/or. This is a hard and firm requirement that we were given by the Marines in the field.” And he emphasized the placement of the device on the M1913 rail should be as close to the center of balance as possible. “Right now, the way the system is on the M-16; it’s front heavy—we don’t want that. We want something where the center of balance is toward the middle.”

Size will also be an important criterion for whatever STC solution is selected. Of note, DoD’s expanding definition of size for manwearable and other portable systems includes weight and form factor, and will be applicable for this program. “The number-one key performance parameter or characteristic on this solicitation will be size. We want something small. We don’t want something big that will get in the way or interfere,” emphasized Berry.

Accordingly, two of the important attributes assigned to the envisioned clip-on thermal system are its weight, with batteries, between 23 (threshold) and 16 (objective) ounces, and a physical size so as not to interfere with the mounting of the RCO and forward grip.

Common, required attributes are also expected to support both the pocket thermal and clip-on models. At the top of the PM ONS’s commonality list is the ability to provide the operator an 80 percent probability of recognizing man-sized moving targets out to a range between 300 meters (threshold) and 500 meters (objective).

The pocket and clip-on thermal capabilities are envisioned for use by regular forces and SOF. Their use by SOF will be supported by a threshold requirement that both systems be waterproof down to three feet of seawater, and an objective requirement of being waterproof down to 66 feet of seawater. Additionally, the clip-on thermal system must be waterproof for 15 minutes at the threshold depth, and for two hours at the objective depth—without the use of a waterproof bag. The number of STC systems could be as many as 5,000. “Again the actual number of systems procured on contract can vary depending on available resources and the requirements delineated by MARCORSYSCOM,” cautioned Carey.

EYED UPGRADES

MARCORSYSCOM is also interested in potential preplanned improvements to its current inventory of thermal products. Increased performance is sought for handheld thermal systems through image stabilization and quiet technology for cooled thermal devices.

And a number of improvements in weapon-mounted thermal systems are also on the command’s wish list. MARCORYSCOM is evaluating the latest detectors that offer increased performance and reduced size and weight. “We are looking to incorporate rangefinder data to be displayed inside the field of view that could be compatible with rangefinder technology that could be mounted on a weapon. We are looking for rangefinder adjustment to the reticle that could automatically be placed in there when the rangefinder is engaged. And we are looking at laser spot-imaging technology,” Berry concluded. ♦

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