Who Is The User?

The Light Dragoons are Light Cavalry soldiers tasked with preparing the way for the rest of the force. They carry out various roles, from scouting for information to engaging enemy targets, whilst using Jackal 2 fighting vehicles able to deploy anywhere in the world.

The Light Dragoons are at the forefront of innovation and prototype warfare, having initiated Project THUNDERCAT. The enduring project looks to the defence industry for innovative solutions to ensure they remain up to date with the latest capabilities, allowing them to inform future requirements.

“I’ve kept this on for about 8 hours today and rarely had any discomfort. It has provided excellent protection, especially when firing the weapon system.” – Cpl D

This Operation & The Challenge

Vitavox was invited to conduct live experimentation with The Light Dragoons whilst deployed on OPERATION CABRIT. The Light Dragoons were deployed in support of enhance Forward Presence NATO (eFP NATO). Additionally, Vitavox has supported many THUNDERCAT with a range of vehicle and personal communications products and systems.

The Vitavox challenge is to understand and assess emerging requirements from an operational perspective and evolve with them.

Vitavox Innovation Concept Demonstrators

Vitavox have supplied and demonstrated a new ecosystem of products to the Light Dragoons, including:
Vitavic 400C – A vehicle communications harness system. The system allows for multiple radios to be connected and controlled, as well as intercom for the crew.

Outacom® – The only military standard Tactical Public Address System available. Outacom® is a platform agnostic ‘plug and play’ system, which allows the crew to safely command, control, direct, deter, inform and influence the immediate area from the safety of the vehicle, especially where civilians and local nationals are present.

ViTac™ Personal Communication System (PCS) – comprising of a Headset, Noise Reduction Filters (NRF) and Communications PTT Unit (CPU). The PCS provides the user with the ability to control multiple radios on the vehicle, intercom, and on the person with vastly improved hearing protection and increased situational awareness. The PCS allows for the user to seamlessly transit between Mounted and Dismounted operations without the requirement to change or remove component parts or helmets.

How Did This Benefit Them?

Vitavic 400C enabled clear communications to the user, both via the radio and intercom. Currently the user has difficulty in maintaining Intercom with the crew whilst also monitoring the radios simultaneously. The crew achieved both, whilst controlling the system from the Vitavox CPU.

Outacom® – An interpreter was utilised in HQ (10km in the rear) who communicated through the Combat Net Radio to instruct the Polish troops on the ground. Outacom® was connected to the Vitavic 400C and rebroadcasted the message via the Outacom® loudspeakers. This averted confrontation and confusion, this action saving time.

Outacom® was also used as a DECEPTION. Light Cav troops were tasked with a mounted probe of a defensive position. Using a connected end user device loaded with sound files, they transmitted tracked vehicle movement through the Outacom®. The US troops reacted to the deception by reporting the ‘armoured vehicles’ in their area, and subsequently altered their troop disposition to counter the threat.

ViTac™ Personal Communication System (PCS) was issued to a crew of 4 soldiers, who had previously used in-service headsets and PTT’s. Used in the mounted role, the user was able to maintain crew safety through clear, continuous, and uninterrupted intercom, whilst also monitoring and controlling all vehicle radios through the Headset and CPU. Where normally the Lt Cavalry Soldier would require separate headsets to control vehicle and on-the-man-radios, this was instead achieved via the CPU simultaneously.

The Noise Reduction Filters were used as standalone hearing protection as well as an additional layer in combination with the ViTac™. The soldiers reported that the NRFs gave them a level of hearing protection combined with situational awareness never experienced before; defending against loud impulses such as the weapons fire, whilst allowing for clear speech to be heard when damaging levels of noise was present.