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Surveillance

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Number: 51

The “España” displays the capacity which offers the first Exploration and Surveillance Platoon equipped with VERT, a benchmark within the Army, in a true exercise called “San Gregorio” consisting of 30 vehicles and more than 150 people

 

Report: Beatriz Gonzalo/Madrid

 

Exploration and Recognition of Army Vehicle (VERT)

Photos: Iván Jiménez/DECET

There are outcomes that are not the result of chance, but instead carry a lot of work and effort behind them.  The ‘Fénix’ from the 11th Cavalry Regiment “España” knows this well, the Development Program´s pilot unit for the Exploration and Recognition of Army Vehicle (VERT in Spanish).  Due to this, on the 21st of June they experienced <extreme satisfaction>, described the “Numancia” Group Chief and Exercise Director, Lieutenant Colonel Blanco.  After almost two dedicated years, they had the opportunity to show the possibilities offered by a section of these vehicles in full action by the very best of the Army and Industry.

It was during this demonstration that the “San Gregorio” was executed, the first complete exercise of the Exploration and Surveillance Platoon (SEV in Spanish).  Following daily improvements and an intense amount of work, in close cooperation with experts of the Transmissions Command of the BMS system (Battlefield Management System), Navantia and Urovesa companies, the results were demonstrated to everyone involved.  <The capabilities of VERT were exposed in a tactical environment and in different situations, and the attendees saw the vehicle´s potential live and direct>.

But this is not the end.  Work continues.  Currently, the operational need of the Platoon Chief is in the process of being defined, that counts on a long model VAMTAC where diverse radio resources have been incorporated so they can manage and connect the information.  Soon, the first VERT series will arrive, which will be the SEV sections of the future (since the first VERT demonstrator composes of a prototype and two preproduction series), destined to incorporate the Army Cavalry units into the new technological era.

 

Exploration and Recognition of Army Vehicle  (VERT)

FOLLOW-UP OF A CONVOY…

...and transfer information between observation sectors.  In these cases, VERT should only be dedicated to observation, and to the Platoon Chief who manages information, as was done in the demonstration.

TRANSFER OF OBJECTIVES… 

...from group level to squadron level, so that they are monitored by terrestrial elements such as the VERT. At one point during the tactical scheme, the objectives were transferred from a group level to a “partida” (partida is a split level during exercises, equivalent to a squadron) and the deployment was redirected. The SEV Chief localized the objectives, informed the “Partida” Chief and localized the threat in the BMS.

ASSISTANCE WHEN MAKING DECISIONS

When the VERT platoon detected that the enemy tank was being directed towards the squadron, the Chief informed and located the threat in the BMS.   The “Partida” Chief evaluated the situation and decided to employ the Anti-Tank Defense Section in order to counteract the threat.
 

 

Exploration and Recognition of Army Vehicle  (VERT)

FROM THE CAVALRY AND WITH THE CAVALRY

To make the most of it, ideally the SEV should form part of the Cavalry Recognition Unit (integrated into a section).  In this way, the protection of vehicles during observation will always provide to its own unit, and can be added to others.

SEE WITHOUT BEING SEEN

VERT can deploy its telescopic mast above a “cota” (level in English) and observe while it remains hidden from enemy eyes. As well, as it´s silent it its advance, they had the opportunity to check with the exhibition attendees when one of these vehicles was found next to the Command Post without anyone noticing its presence.

COMPLEMENTARITY 

With other resources like the Remotely Manned Aircraft Systems (RPAS in Spanish); once the objectives were detected by VERT, the “Partida” Chief asked the group Command Post to confirm the attitude and entity of the threat with the RPAS.

DETECTING DISTANT OBJECTIVES

Thanks to the superiority of Optronics with respect to other materials endowed to the Army, the Platoon Chief identified objectives situated a distance of 12 kilometers, where they were localized in the BMS, and additional images were also shown.

Exploration and Recognition of Army Vehicle  (VERT)