Vanguard Magazine

Dec/Jan 2015

Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR

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Pich invokes the image of a jigsaw puzzle to understand all the pieces that ultimate- ly have to fit together. And since no two customers are requesting the exact same thing, that could involve some unique re- quirements. Although Canadian vehicles typically transmit classified data, the need to share streaming video in an unclassified form, for example, could mean a need for "multi-caveat separations of data," he said. Over the years, Kongsberg has been at the forefront of technological advance- ments for RWS, including a four axis sys- tem to improve stabilization for shoot- on-the-move capability and more recent automated "slew to cue" technology. While the types of weapons available on a remote station will grow – KPS is working on a requirement to develop a FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile integration kit – Pich and Grongstad say meeting customer expectations, especially around information integration, poses the greatest challenge. "Technology isn't the challenge," Pich says. "We have been there, done that, and have the t-shirt, so to speak. Our biggest challenge is ensuring that the expectations of the end user are met by what we deliver. That is challenging when you have a lot of people who are part of the process. In some cases we deliver directly to the end user, but in others we go through the ve- hicle or C4I manufacturer. So we have to ensure that we're delivering what is asked for and it doesn't matter who is between us and the end user." And with those expectations come new challenges around data management and distribution. As Grongstad observes, "there is so much information that 15 years ago no one imagined you could get from a vehicle." c c4iSr www.vanguardcanada.com DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015 35 Kongsberg: Permanent Canadian presence helps export prospects 2014 marks the 200th anniversary for Kongsberg, predating the nationalization of Norway by two months. Although its Krag-Jørgensen bolt action rifle became the weapon of choice for the U.S. Army in 1892, the company's physical footprint in North America is more recent, beginning in 2000 with a contract from General Dynamics Land Systems Delco for a remote weapon station on the army's Stryker armoured combat vehicle. In con- junction with a U.S. government contract in 2006 for the Common Remotely Oper- ated Weapon Station (CROWS), Kongsberg Defense was opened in Johnstown, PA. However, with Canadian programs such as the Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) remote weapon station refit already underway, and the Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle (TAPV) program and new opportunities on the horizon, a facility in Canada was a logical next step. Kongsberg Protech Systems Canada officially opened its doors near the London airport in late 2011, though research in the area had been ongoing since late 2010. Almost within seeing distance of one of its key Canadian customers, General Dynam- ics Land Systems Canada, the location has allowed KPSC to service existing programs while developing new ones, including international markets. "It's not just an offset and leave story, it is a long-term commitment to Canada and to ensure that Kongsberg will take care of these programs and then work with the government to go international," Pich says. In fact, a tour of the shop floor in early November finds crates of newly painted Pro- tector remote weapon stations destined for the upgraded reconnaissance LAV (also known as the LRSS), the army's new TAPV, and even several CROWS for the U.S. Army Stryker. Pich isn't ready to announce foreign sales just yet, but says there are several in the "pipeline" as a result of the company's location and the work of the Canadian Commer- cial Corporation, National Defence, and other government agencies. "They have been fantastic in helping us expand into new international markets." In addition to the LAV and TAPV – as with the vehicle itself, the remote weapon sta- tion on the TAPV underwent testing this Fall and is preparing for further evaluations in the Spring – Kongsberg is eyeing potential requirements for lighter weight remote weapon stations on other vehicle fleets as well as future navy projects for the modern- ized Halifax-class ships, the Joint Support Ships, and the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships. "We are hoping to continue to expand this facility to go to a second, and potentially even a third, line in the near future," Pich said. Photos: Le, remote weapon station on the TAPV during testing (Canadian Army) and above, Kongsberg Dual RWS and London office.

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