The Rover System

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Remotely Operated Video Enhanced

Receiver Capabilities Brief

A2Q ISR Innovations

Lt Col Chuck [email protected]@pentagon.af.mil703.693.3980

Disclaimer

This briefing/presentation is for information only. No U.S. Government commitment to sell, loan, lease, co-develop or co-produce these defense articles or services is implied or intended

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Wartime Innovations4 Days to test - 4 Weeks to combat

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Program Description/OverviewWhat: ROVER provides Full Motion Video (FMV) from an airborne platform to ground users via airborne, mobile, fixed, or man-portable terminals

How: Airborne platform transmit signal containing FMV to ground user who use multi-band ROVER receiver connected to display (laptop or analog device) to view video and/or telemetry

Why: Provides real time information allowing personnel to target from video, request close air support, directing aircrew to adjust aim to put bombs on target, provides flexibility, captures / records video, provides aircraft location/coordinates for orientation, etc…

ROVER

Interoperability (list not all inclusive)

Predator LibertyLitening Pod P3Swift PointerTern AC-130 Shadow Pioneer Scathe View RavenDragon Eye Fire Scout SNIPER Pod Mako / TigersharkScan Eagle Hunter Strike Killer Team

How Being Used Today

What is ROVER?

• Remote Operated Video Enhanced Receiver– Air Force answer to receive full motion video (FMV)

• ROVER uses line of sight video downlink from a Varity of airborne platforms– Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and Advanced

Targeting Pods (ATP) – manned platforms– Unencrypted and encrypted - Analog and digital– Bidirectional and IP (coming soon)

Managed by ISR Innovations Office (A2Q) and Big Safari - QRC

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What is ROVER - NOT?

• Not a Program of Record• Spiral developed over 8 years

– Feedback from the Customer – Input from “Big Vision” People

• Has not gone thru JROC• Or JCIDS• Not JTIC Certified • Not sure if it is JTRS Certified

• Most request capability in the AOR• ….JTACS like it

First ROVER II

A Pretty Neat Story:On 17 Jan 02, CW2 Chris Manuel (Army Green Beret) pictured above, dropped in unannounced to visit 645 AESG. He said he’d spent the past 3 months looking in caves in Afghanistan, had 2 weeks off, and then was to return to do the same. He said his unit desperately needed access to Predator video to enable them to “see what was over the next hill” before putting his people at risk. Key players were assembled, the requirement was discussed with the contractor, and a solution was developed that day, right in the Big Safari office. Eight days later (23 Jan 02) the solution - shown above - was demonstrated at the Predator test facility at El Mirage. CW2 Manual deployed back to Afghanistan to put the ROVER into operations. The ROVER was credited multiple times for saving the lives of his unit and assisting in the killing or capture of enemy combatants.

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Factors Influencing ROVER Design

Compatibility- Across the services- With DHS

Transmit- Net-T

Encryption- Type-1- AES- TDES

SizeWeight

ROVER FamilyTac ROVER and ROVER 4

Net ROVERROVER5 & 6C2 ROVER

All ROVERs have variouslevels of encryption

ROVER EvolutionROVER 4 &Predecessors

ROVER 5

• Portable Handheld• Type 1 Encryption

ROVER 5i

ROVER 6• Type 1 Encryption• BE-CDL Waveform• DDL Raven Receive• MIL-STD Connectors• Environmentally Ruggedized

C2 ROVER (2012)

• Type 1 Encryption• BE-CDL Waveform• DDL Raven Receive• Dual Link - Relay

VORTEX

SIR

• Type 1 Encryption• Multi-band Capability

• International Version

• Soldier Wearable ISR• AES Decryption

Tactical ROVER• Receiver Only •AES Decryption• ROVER 5 Waveforms

CMDL

• Multi-band Capability• AES Encryption

L-3 Communications Proprietary

ROVER Compatibility/Interoperability

Predator

SNIPER PodLitening PodP3Raven

PioneerPointer

AC-130ShadowHunterFire ScoutScathe View

Liberty/MC-12

Waveform Interoperability

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Interoperability ChallengeDept of Homeland Security

• Interoperability has been an elusive capability• Law Enforcement and Military have gone on

divergent paths for ISR/IAA• Homeland Security/Defense and National

Disaster Response have illuminated both need and capability gaps

• New modem technology offers interoperable solutions, opportunities for convergence

Lessons learned from 9/11, Katrina, Cal Wild fires, Haiti, Oil Spills

Remote Operations Video Enhanced Receiver (ROVER) 3/e/4

• Revolutionized Ground Warfare by Bringing ISR Data to Ground Troops

• Capabilities– Receiver– Frequency Bands – C/L/S/Ku– Waveforms Supported

– CDL, Tactical, Analog, DDL

– Encryption – AES / TDES– Operating Temp -20°C to +70°C – 10.25 lbs with Battery

• Status– ROVER 3 – 2004, 469 Delivered– eROVER – 2006, 1,309 Delivered– ROVER 4 – 2007, 1,627 Delivered;– ROVER 4 Ease of Use Due 3/31/2011– Production Line Ramping Down

L-3 Communications Proprietary

ROVER 5

Capabilities• Menu-Driven Touch Screen• Tactical White-boarding• Type 1-1 / AES / TDES Approved• Five Band Transceiver – UHF/C/Ku/L/S• Waveforms Supported

– CDL, Tactical, VNW, Analog• Data Rates up to 44.73 Mbps• SWAP

– 9.5” x 5.6” x 2.25”– Multiple Power and Battery Options– Weight – 3.5 lbs

Status• Capabilities Being Exploited in

Theatre• Net-T Targeted Device• Production Line Ramping Down

L-3 Communications Proprietary

Video ORiented Transceiver for EXchange (VORTEX)

Predator Kiowa

Capabilities• Type 1-1 / AES / TDES Approved• Five Band Transceiver – UHF/C/Ku/L/S• Waveforms Supported

– CDL, Tactical, VNW, Analog• Data Rates up to 44.73 Mbps• Spatial / Frequency Diversity• EMI/EMC 461E Compliant• SWAP

– 4.75” X 3.7” X 8.6”– Nominal 45 W, 9 – 32 VDC– Weight – < 10 lbs

Status• Flight Qualification Complete on

Several Platforms – Both Fixed and Rotary Wing

L-3 Communications Proprietary

ROVER 6

PM UAS Apache MUMT-2

Capabilities• Type 1-1 / AES / TDES Approved• Five Band Transceiver – UHF/C/Ku/L/S• Waveforms Supported

– CDL, Tactical, VNW, Analog, BE-CDL, DDL

• Data Rates up to 44.73 Mbps• Spatial / Frequency Diversity• EMI/EMC 461E Compliant• SWAP

– 6.25” x10.98” 3.80”– 10VDC to 32VDC Input– Weight – < 10 lbs

Status• Development Complete• LRIP of 300 Systems• FRP of ~2,500 Systems• Developing Ku-Band

Directional Antenna• Developing L/S Transmit and

C/L/S Receive Antenna

New Antennas Under Development

L-3 Communications Proprietary

Tactical ROVER

SIR v2.0

• Contract Award 7/22/2010• Delivered 73; 47 On Order• Receiver• Frequency Bands – C/L/S

• Ku-Band Downconverter and Antenna; Due 8/31/2011; 6 On Order

• Waveforms Supported• CDL, Tactical, VNW, Analog

• Encryption – AES/ TDES• Weight – < 1 lbs• Auto Acquire• Production Line Ramping Down

Tactical ROVER

• Features Same as SIR 2.0• Contract Award 10/19/2010• Battery Powered• Weight – 1.1 lbs w/o battery• In production now

L-3 Communications Proprietary – Information on this page is subject to the restrictions on the first page.

C2 ROVER

• Compact, Highly-Capable, Multi-Use Transceiver

• Capabilities– Two Independent Bi-Directional Links– Full Link Interconnectivity– Relay– Transceiver– Frequency Bands – C/L/S/Ku/UHF– Waveforms Supported– CDL, Tactical, VNW, Analog, BE-CDL, DDL– Data Rates up to 44.73 Mbps– Encryption – Type 1-1 / AES / TDES– Operating Temp -20°C to +70°C w/cold plate– 10+ lbs– BE-CDL– Spatial / Frequency Diversity– EMI/EMC 461E Compliant

• Status– Contract Negotiated– 8 Deliverable Prototypes

L-3 Communications Proprietary – Information on this page is subject to the restrictions on the first page.

ROVER Metadata

• Lots of attention being focused on metadata over the past few years. There are lots of formats out there, but two main standards:– Key-Length-Value (KLV)

• Controlled by MISB (Motion Imagery Standards Board)– Cursor on Target (CoT)

• Controlled by MITRE• ROVER supports and encourages KLV metadata

over the link – ROVER 4s delivered with KLV capability– ROVER IIIs/eROVERs receive KLV capability with software

upgrade• L3 working on KLV to CoT translator application that

runs on ROVER

FMVFalconView

Google EarthROVER

Lessons RE-Learned from 9/11, Katrina, Cal Wild fires, Haiti, Oil Spills

ROVER BLOS Dissemination

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Digital Encryption

• OSD will mandate a migration to digital waveforms – with eventual encryption of FMV– Interim solution TDES or AES– Follow-up with NSA Type 1

• ROVER 5 capability includes Type 1• ROVER 4 has TDES

• Common RVT with USAF/ARMY/MARINES – USIP 1 standards– Air – Mobile– Fixed

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ROVER IP Network Capability Using Net-T Software

ROVER 5/5i

VORTEXCMDL

Current Radios

Using Today’s Technology – Today!

• Objective/Motivation - Provide a full duplex, IP based network capability to the tactical edge using existing infrastructure to support Information Dominance missions– QRC Capability - Establish ROVER as an IP Network

node (RIPN) using Net-T software

• Complementary and interoperable with any IP architecture– HAF A2Q is NOT offering a 100% solution -

plenty of room for many other technologies

Net-T Main Points

• Gov’t-owned-standard software load for existing and programmed radios – non proprietary

• Securable using both Type 1 and AES

• Backwards compatible with existing ROVERs

• Multiband (C,L,S,Ku) - not limited to a single band

• Wideband - up to 44 Mbps with the Vortex

Using today's technology - today

What’s coming up next Tac ROVERAnalog

Ethernet

USB

Thales Harris

Antenna

Antenna Overview

L/S/CKu-Band

Down converterUHF

ROVER L/S/C

ROVER Ku

SIR v2.5 ROVER 4

Tactical ROVER-e “Kit” (Tentative)

SIR v2.5 Kit Radio Operator Manual Multi-Band Tactical Antenna (L/S/C-Band) Cable Set

Power Power & Ethernet Power & USB Power cables

BA5590 Flying Leads Brites

BNC Video RF

Vuzix Tactical display

Plus Ku Band Down Converter Includes Cap Antenna

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Cable Set (Proposed)

Power/Connector Power/Ethernet Connector Power/USB Connector

BA5590 Battery Cable Flying Lead DC Power Cable BRITES Power Cable

Identical to SIRv2.5 – Full backward compatibility

Preliminary Connector Layout

Antenna Port(TNC)

Video Out(BNC)

Bayonet 26 Pin “Mighty Mouse” Power & I/O

10 Pin Keyfill

Battery Connector

Preliminary Radio – Front View

Backlight

5 Way NavigationPad

ESC

12 Key Alpha Numeric Keypad

Decimal Point

Keypad Lock

LCD

ZEROIZE KEYS

COMSEC BYPASS KEYS

Power Button/Standby

Preliminary Radio – Back View

COMSEC Not Installed Label

COMSEC Label

Preliminary Radio Assembly

Keypad/Display Cover

RF Card

Septum

Digital Card

Rear Cover

COMSEC Module

COMSEC Cover

5.6

3.01.5

SIR v2.5 Tactical ROVER-e (estimate)

Dimensions 5.6 x 3.0 x 1.5 6.52 x 2.7 x 1.82

Cubic Inches 25.2 29.2

SWaP Comparison (Size)

6.52

2.7

1.6

1.82

• Tactical ROVER-e estimate is slightly heavier due to:– COMSEC module– Housing the COMSEC– Additional connector and room to house the

connector– Volume increase to fit components on CCA’s– Isolation walls

SWaP Comparison (Weight)

SIR v2.5 Tactical ROVER-e (estimate)

With battery (lbs) 1.9 2.3

Fielded ROVERs

ROVER I: (Pred to AC-130)

Total Delivery – 20ROVER II: (Aircraft to JTAC)

Total Delivery 147ROVER III – Multi-band receiver C/L/KU

Total Delivery 2331

ROVER V

On Order 900ROVER IV

Total Delivered 1400 Total ROVER: 7241

C/L BandKU Band

Receiver

UHF Antenna / Modem

ToughBook

ROVER IV + UHF=Army OSRVT (2000+)

ROVER 6FRP7000 on order

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ROVERRevolutionizes the Battlefield

Over 14 NATO and ISAF countries use ROVER– UK France Australia Germany – Norway New Zealand Canada Portugal– Italy Spain Sweden Belgium– Netherlands

85% of CAS mission done with ROVER in OIF