Combat identification system contributes to live training.

• Author: Henderson, Ron
• Position: Brief Article

The Marine Corps is acquiring a new battlefield situational awareness system-which can be used both for combat and for training-to protect dismounted forces from fratricide.

The Combat Situational Awareness System (CSAS) could be used by Marines, soldiers and special operations forces. The program is managed by the Army Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command.

Twelve CSAS prototypes were delivered recently to the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. The lab will use the systems to evaluate future Marine combat identification and situational awareness needs.

The technology helps track and record training events and dismounted personnel position location and status in near real time. It also provides an automated, portable after-action review capability.

In addition to helping reduce fratricide, CSAS is expected to enhance en-route mission planning rehearsal and the capability to identify, track, engage and assess results against non-line of sight targets. The CSAS would improve training fidelity, soldier safety and survivability for both jive training and combat. It also eliminates the logistics associated with having separate training and combat systems. CSAS is compatible with both Miles 2000 and Miles XXI laser-engagement instrumentation systems currently used in training exercises.

A second-generation CSAS is in advanced stages of development and is intended to provide remote situational awareness capability for U.S. special operations forces.

The CSAS program leveraged technology from the Lightweight Player Detection Devices (LPDD), also an Army STRICOM program.

The CSAS combines radio-frequency, laser, ultra-wideband and...