Integrated Combat Solution

The System

The Integrated Combat Solution (ICS) is a complete digital integration platform, including both hardware and software necessary to provide a fully digitized platform for both new and existing vehicles and platforms.

Flexibility

Flexibility is at the core of ICS and it is built to be completely platform agnostic, easily adaptable and scalable. The solution inherently supports complex platforms where crew members work tightly together to execute their mission across a range of subsystems, as well as simpler single user setups.

Target Data Sharing. Photo: KONGSBERG

Integration

On board vehicles, ICS integrates all subsystems into a holistic, total system, significantly increasing crew efficiency and reducing reaction times. The vehicle itself is integrated as a subsystem, as well as allowing all other subsystems access to vehicle information (and vice versa where applicable).

ICS supports different platforms, not just vehicles. Other tactical platforms such as command posts, vessels, UAVs, UGVs and boats can also utilize ICS.

Standards

ICS is built based on open standards for vetronics and software such as DEF STAN 23-09 GVA and DEF STAN 00-82 VIDEO. Due to the modular and flexible architecture, interoperability and integration with other standards such as VICTORY is straightforward.

Services

Core services

• Vehicle gateway: bi-directional gateway for information exchange with low-level channels such as CAN, LIN or Serial
• GNSS: integration of satellite positioning and time systems such as GPS
• Navigation: integration with INU/INS for real world positioning and direction (north)
• Time: provides system wide mission time

Easy access to all information. Photo: KONGSBERG

Infrastructure

• DDS: DEF STAN 23-09 compliant OMG DDS middleware
• Information model: normalized information model based on DEF STAN 23-09
• WS Gateway: Web Service gateway for integration of non-DDS based applications and services

General services

• Logging: logs all activity, including reporting subsystems
• Video management: monitors and manage all available video streams, DEF STAN 00-82 based
• Info monitor(s) (multi): monitors a weapon or sensor: Azimuth elevation, FOV, ammo, count and type
• Platform info: monitors the vehicle: Pitch, yaw, roll, heading, location
• Platform management: manages platform configurations
• Service management: deploys, monitors and restarts services as needed
• HUMS: Monitoring, logging and alarm/alert generation
• Geospatial: handles coordinate systems translations to and from subsystems peculiarities and real world coordinates
• Adapter(s) (multi): connects legacy and non-DDS based subsystems to ICS

Fault handling

• Divide monitor: monitors network devices via SNMP
• Fault collector: allows subsystems to report operational status and alarms/alerts to ICS
• Fault management: manages and logs all faults in the system and maintains operational status of the system and individual subsystems
• Alarm & Alert: raises and lowers alarms and/or alerts based on reported information from subsystems
• Fault reporting: reports status and faults for crew display

Combat services

• Target management: generates, manages and reports targets when they are created by subsystems
• Track management: manages consecutive updates to targets
• Cross cueing (HK): manages cue requests and ensures cues are provided in an optimal fashion to the specific subsystem

HMI Services

• Status - VSD: presents status to the crew of subsystems and the platform
• SA: Provides camera feeds and other situational awareness means if available
• Fault monitor: presents the crew with both position specific and system wide views of all active faults and operational statuses and provide for fault isolation
• PPI: Presents a Plan Position Indicator in all views showing heading (compass), altitude

Benefits

ICS Weapon System Integration

The ICS weapon system integration draws its capabilities from three key integration features:
Fire control system data access: ICS achieves a high degree of lethality enhancements by accessing a specific weapon system and corresponding sight system data
Control grip event access: To ensure accurate and timely calculation of target information ICS samples specific Control Grip (CG) events
Platform attitude data access: To achieved the level of accuracy and flexibility required by ICS platform attitude, data is an integral part of the calculations performed

Illustration of short reaction time. Photo: KONGSBERG

Slew-to-Cue and Hunter-Killer

The ICS “Slew-to-Cue” and “Hunter-Killer” function utilizes any and all onboard sensors and effectors. In Hunter-Killer the latest observation provided to ICS from any subsystem is automatically localized and available to any other subsystem. When a subsystem is aligned to this target, ICS automatically transforms the localized target into the requesting subsystems preferred a coordinate system, compensating for any platform motion that has occurred since the observation was made. This significantly improves alignment accuracy, and reduces reaction time for engagement.

Advanced collective engagements

The capability to rapidly combine weapons effect against direct fire targets opens the possibility for other types of combined weapons employment. Including anti-defile capabilities, utilizing the combined effects of several weapon systems, based on ballistics calculations performed by ICS. Such capabilities can reduce the need to employ expensive advanced airburst munitions, or in other scenarios, improve the effects of such munitions.