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Fact
Files > Land Warrior |
Sgt. Philip Morici models the improved Land
Warrior individual Soldier combat system. |
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The Land
Warrior system is an integrated digital fighting system that
improves situational awareness and survivability for
dismounted Soldiers in the U.S. Army. The system provides
digital imagery and GPS location information that provides
Soldiers with such information as locations of enemies and
improvised explosive devices. |
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LAND WARRIOR LATEST NEWS |
Army to
Equip Brigade with 'Land Warrior'
May 28, 2008
FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Army News Service, May 28, 2008) - As Land
Warrior reaches its first anniversary in combat, the Army is
seeking to equip an entire brigade combat team with the
high-tech system which increases mission speed and
effectiveness and decreases risks to the warfighter.
The Army has approved an Operational Needs Statement to field
the Land Warrior system to the 5th Stryker Brigade Combat
Team, 2nd Infantry Division, in 2009.
During the past year, Soldiers with the 4th Battalion, 9th
Infantry Regiment have faced the challenges of asymmetric
warfare in Iraq using Land Warrior, and the battalion's
success has prompted others to ask for the system. The 4-9
Infantry is part of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd
Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash.
"A platoon that has Land Warrior can cover a lot more ground a
lot faster," said Staff Sgt. James Young, a weapons squad
leader with Alpha Company, 4-9 Inf.
Land Warrior is a modular fighting system that uses
state-of-the-art computer, communications, and global
positioning technologies to digitally link Soldiers on the
battlefield. The system is integrated with the Soldier's body
armor and has a helmet-mounted display.
"The system gives four distinct advantages that other Soldiers
do not have," explained Command Sgt. Maj. Phil Pich, who
recently returned from Iraq.
"It gives you situational awareness, which allows you to see
all blue (friendly) forces that are in your area of
operations. It gives you maps and imagery. It also allows the
leaders to change graphics while on the move. And it gives us
voice and text messaging capabilities," he said.
Soldiers wearing the Land Warrior system can easily access
detailed maps, execution checklists, and other
mission-essential information stored by the system. The system
can store more than 600 images including photographs of
targets, locations, etc.
The Soldier views the maps and imagery through the
helmet-mounted display, which is pulled down over one eye when
needed. Each Soldier wearing the system is represented by an
icon on the map. Using drop-down menus, team leaders and
commanders can place virtual icons, or virtual "chem lights"
onto a map identifying known enemy locations or other
essential information.
The system allows leaders to quickly relay information in the
middle of a mission. During a recent raid in Taji, Iraq,
Soldiers came across a large canal.
"With that obstacle, typically you'll have your entire platoon
stagnant in a security hold," explained Pich. "Here they were
able to find a crossing point, mark it with a virtual chem
light, and then continue moving right into the assault."
Pich, who has served five previous combat tours, said Land
Warrior also helps prevent fratricide because it allows
Soldiers to see the location of their buddies. "The leader on
the support-by-fire is able to see his front line trace of the
other element that's moving." |
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