Elbit Systems has introduced a situational awareness system that allows dismounted forces in GPS-denied environments to immediately locate and reliably track and monitor up to a hundred members of a network.
Called SmarTrack, the system is designed to be used by forces operating in urban, indoor, or underground operations where limited line of sight, 3-D positioning, and physical partitions create challenges to command and control. Faced with loss of satellite signals or disrupted communications, the challenges for soldiers grow even tougher.
Haim Delmar, senior vice president of C4ISR and HLS Systems for Elbit Systems, calls SmarTrack an "all-in-one soldier blue force tracking device for complex environments with limited/jammed/no GPS reception." It provides the force commander," he says, "with a real-time exact location with accuracy better than 3 meters of force members in the vicinity, can be deployed in any geographical operational indoor or outdoor environment, and serves as a data link to transmit important personal information to the commander."
The SmarTrack System, Delmar notes, "uses a very accurate radio frequency (RF) ranging patented technology, complemented by additional measurement technologies, which are used in a unique multilaterational algorithm that enables a very accurate 3D location."
He says SmarTrack was designed for the use of dismounted soldiers and special forces for operations in complex urban environments where GPS availability is limited or nonexistent and the need for accurate location is operationally essential.
"As such, the SmarTrack system is designated for dense urban environment missions and close-quarters-combat situations with limited/jammed GPS reception," Delmar says. He adds that SmarTrack is a complementary solution to Elbit Systems’ advanced C4I solution.
"Having provided thousands of soldier systems to various customers worldwide, we were able to leverage our intensive experience in soldier systems body mapping, power management, radio communications, and other systems to develop this unique solution," he says. "The SmarTrack can be provided as a standalone solution, a very small unit that can be carried by every dismounted soldier or as an addition to our C4I soldier suite."
Photo courtesy of Elbit Systems