A summary of the big ideas and supporting technology can be found below
The Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2023 showcases the latest military technology under one roof at ExCel in London, but there is more to it than just weapons. While there is no shortage of warships and fighter jets, industry experts discuss the importance of artificial intelligence (AI), and there were plenty of wearables and unmanned aerial systems on the show floor.
A report by ADS confirms that attendee numbers were up by 23% compared to DSEI 2019. Of the 1,500 exhibitors, more than 250 were showcasing products and services for the first time.
Keynote speeches and panel debates from international thought leaders explored the current strategic-level challenges faced by the global defence industry and provided a platform for sharing ideas with allies. For example, speaking at a keynote session about the newly-established Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre, general Jim Hockenhull, strategic command, said: “If we get this right, I am certain this can be a crucial element of increasing our productivity, moving our personnel up the value chain. We will be more productive as we integrate our cross-cutting capabilities. So in dangerous times, we have a choice: do we hunker down, do the things we’ve always done and hope for a better outcome. Or do we embrace the challenge, get comfortable with the ambiguity and be ready to change?”
In a separate session, vice admiral Keith Blount, NATO’s deputy supreme commander Europe said: “If I was to ask industry to design a networked, digitally enabled warfighting system of systems in the 2050-2060 timeframe, I sense there are many industries that would have a good go at that. And they would recognise the technology available now. And they would be able to extrapolate that using artificial intelligence or whatever, to come up with a system that would be workable.
“The challenge is we’re starting from relative basics. We’re starting from many capability development pathways that remain platform-centric, in the near- to medium-term. And we need industry’s help to design a pathway from where we are now to where we get to in the future.
“Because if every time a ship goes out of service and you simply replace it with another ship, you may well be losing the opportunity to step away from the conventional and traditional, into a different way of thought, into a different way of delivering military capability both kinetic and non-kinetic. And the [NATO] Alliance will not think itself through that; it will need the help and support of industry in doing it.”
VEHICLES
Delkia showed its capabilities and development towards a new digital vehicle control system. The company develops technologies to serve the defence sector. As an example of this work, the team will be introducing an all-vehicle, digital process for the generation of vehicle control laws which has the potential to save development time and programme cost by coupling computational fluid dynamics with data science. A working model of an Astute submarine using Delkia’s control laws will be on display.
Reventec showcased a variety of vehicle health and performance sensors. The smart sensors continuously measure vehicle health to offer predictive maintenance to help reduce the risk of unexpected vehicle downtime.
Timoney Technology recently launched its Jaws portfolio, a next generation of independent suspension systems. The portfolio is said to offer enhanced modularity, improved performance and an electric drive variant. To complement it, Timoney developed proprietary software to help OEMs determine EV performance, battery sizing and range.
Rheinmetall’s Luna NG, a multi-purpose drone is making its UK debut. It is optimised for long-range tactical target acquisition of objects in real-time and battle damage assessments. Rheinmetall was also showing how various integrated unmanned air-supported reconnaissance systems can reinforce the sensor suites of vehicle platforms, resulting in improved situational awareness.
A Miss Master SP robotic vehicle was on hand, configured as a carrier platform for cable-less charging technology for unmanned systems. Additionally, Rheinmetall and the joint venture Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land will be informing visitors about their share in the British Army’s Mechanised Infantry Vehicle Programme. The stand features the Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle variant of Boxer, together with a Skyranger Air Defence System Mission Module. Meanwhile, the British Army stand showed a Boxer configured as a command vehicle.
COMMUNICATIONS
Sierra-Olympia Technologies released its Ventus HD6-2.4 and Ventus HD6-0.6 camera systems. The Ventus HD6-0.6 is a HD MWIR (middle wavelength infrared) camera designed for long-range precision and a long-life reliability. With a 14X optical zoom on a 1280x960 array format, this camera is said to detect, recognise and identify at long distances. Features include: 27,000-hour long-life camera core, six-micron pixel pitch, scene object tracking, DRI capabilities and KLV metadata.
STS Defence exhibited its configurable communications masts for the new Type 26 frigate. Working with BAE Systems, it is looking to install the first set of communications masts to the FOC T26 vessel during Q3 2023.
TT Electronics displayed its high voltage and high-reliability DC-DC converters and AC-DC converters. The TT team will highlight its DC-DC converter for safety-critical applications in aerospace and defence. The core 1kW, 800VDCout unit has been designed to scale up to 10kW.
Hydro Group Systems presented its new fibre optic penetrator for manned systems rated to 650msw and its range of submarine pressure hull penetrators. Its range of wet and dry mate connectors, hull penetrators, and mechanical terminations, along with optical and electrical and power umbilicals have been deployed in a range of critical systems for 40 years around the world. Supported by an in-house engineering team, it provides a bespoke design process and Hydro’s test facilities – including a range of hydro-static chambers – allow the company to perform verification and validation testing.
IMI Critical Engineering unveiled its acoustic control vantage (ACV), which enables valves on submarines to operate up to 20dB quieter than a standard valve. ACV technology increases the operability of a submarine in the underwater battlespace.
KNL’s CNHF Manpack radio is now in production. The Manpack utilises an automatic, autonomous, and adaptive Cognitive Networked HF waveform. The multi-hop functionality is said to ensure that the route from the source to destination can be found from a few kilometres to thousands of kilometres. In addition, Manpack is designed for the harshest conditions.
WEARABLES
Elsewhere, the UK Ministry of Defence has awarded BAE Systems a contract, valued at £40 million, to develop its Striker II helmet-mounted display for the Royal Air Force Typhoon fleet. Striker II displays data on to the pilot’s helmet visor, providing an augmented reality of the real world alongside mission critical information. Developed at BAE Systems in Rochester, Kent, Striker II uses technologies to integrate its all-digital night vision system and daylight readable colour display. As part of the deal, BAE Systems engineers are maturing the helmet’s capability ahead of the start of initial production to support qualification and integration flight-testing at BAE Systems’s combat air site in Warton, Lancashire.
Cam Lock released its touchscreen flying gloves for pilots and CBRN touch screen gloves for military wear. The company specialises in the design and manufacture of personal protection lift support systems. It offers a range of products including aircrew oxygen masks, CBRN Respirators, industrial working respirators, emergency escape sets and firefighter breathing apparatus.
SUPPORTING TECH
There were also plenty of AI innovations on the show floor. Adarga launched Adarga Vantage, a tool built to improve the analysis of in-house and open-source information. Adarga Vantage has already been rolled out to Adarga’s existing military, government and commercial customers. Powered by proprietary and fine-tuned AI models designed for defence applications, Vantage is said to take a sophisticated approach to human-machine teaming. Vantage is said to enable users to interact with and interrogate information in new ways, using a single search to explore summarised, interlinked and contrasting themes in minutes.
Advai, a deep technology AI Assurance firm, is launching Advai Insight, an AI robustness workspace. Users can perform benchmark testing on new AI models. Comparative analyses tailored to compliance requirements show the reliability aspects of various AI tools.
Elbit Systems UK signed a contract at its stand awarded by the MOD to develop and provide artillery and mortar training simulators. The Interim Indirect Fire Simulation will be provided to the Royal School of Artillery at Larkhill, the Combined Arms Manoeuvre School at Warminster and the Collective Training Group at training locations in the UK and abroad. Supported by Elbit Systems UK’s open architecture, the systems will allow for simultaneous individual and collective training of military personnel. Elbit Systems UK will also provide ongoing training and technical support throughout the three-year programme.
Bumax has been selected to provide crucial fasteners to be used on the International Space Station (ISS). Bumax 88 fasteners will be used to secure a new payload going to the ISS to measure the speed of sound. The space sector uses Bumax’s fastener range with various applications. Granular Sound is an experiment in space to measure the speed of sound through a cube filled with glass balls to simulate granular media like sand or concrete.
Carter Manufacturing showcased gimbals and bearings used to support space flight applications. Gimbals typically consist of two rings fixed together axially at 90º to each other and are designed to dampen any movement such as roll, pitch and yaw on a component that is susceptible to this type of movement. In space flight they enable precise control and stabilisation of objects such as an engine, sensor, or instrument, helping to maintain its orientation.