Rheinmetall highlights the Group’s role as a leading supplier of advanced soldier systems at AUSA 2019
14 October 2019
From 14–16 October 2019, Rheinmetall displays its Argus soldier system at the Association of United States Army annual meeting (AUSA 2019) in Washington DC.
In the complex environments of modern warfare, the ability for dismounted soldiers to remain connected to their chain of command while on the ground can be the difference between mission success and mission failure.
Dismounted soldiers do not have access to more sophisticated in-vehicle communication systems: instead, they need to rely on an agile and adapted solution to maintain constant situational awareness.
The Rheinmetall Argus system provides the user with a highly intuitive, smartphone-like interface that is packed with mission-critical capabilities. It is engineered to act as a hub that relays real-time information to facilitate seamless cohesion even in the toughest of environments, where its ruggedized and waterproofed hardware is an indispensable asset.
The operator-focused system features blue force tracking and a suite of mission-planning features like wayfinding and map reconnaissance, among other dynamic functions. Simply put, Argus lifts a weight off soldiers’ shoulders—both literally thanks to its lightweight casing and figuratively as it drastically reduces the soldiers’ cognitive load.
“Argus provides a unique situational awareness enhancement to any dismounted soldierdeployed in today’s battlespace,” said Alain Tremblay, Rheinmetall Canada’s vice-president of business development. “Its modular and open architecture is key to adapt to various user requirements, while being able to grow and evolve as the environment changes.”
Argus and its proprietary BMS software are fielded with armies around the world, including NATO partners. Argus has also been selected by the Canadian Armed Forces as the preferred system to be delivered under their Integrated Soldier System project.
The Rheinmetall Group also makes the Future Soldier – Expanded System (IdZ-ES) used by the German Army, as well as the advanced Gladius 2.0 version.
A highly adaptable technology Rheinmetall
Argus soldier system is network-agnostic, resulting in increased uptime and the ability to be integrated with any radio that is currently in service within NATO.
Specifically, its ability to connect to LTE networks allows for a much larger communication radius: LTE service is available all over the world and lets users exchange information over an extremely broad range, overcoming the strict geographical limitations of traditional radio.
On top of being entirely hardware-system-independent, the system is also multi-platform compatible, with the option to be loaded on any mobile device powered by Android, Windows, or Linux. Its BMS software can be loaded onto a PC, tablet, smartphone, or rugged PDA—the latter being a particularly attractive option for those who need a damageand shock-resistant tool that can withstand harsh environments.
Argus meets all of the industry’s most stringent quality standards, from NATO’s ruggedization specifications to full MIL-STD compliance for its hardware and software components, ensuring full interoperability across joint environments and with coalition and allied partners.
Argus delivers out-of-the-box integration
From laser rangefinders to tactical night vision goggles and unmanned systems, a wide variety of specialized equipment can be easily integrated with Argus. Over the last months, the Mission Master, Rheinmetall’s modular unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), successfully completed many remotely operated missions while controlled by a single soldier through the Argus soldier system.
In the field, Argus can control the Mission Master in any one of its many modes: it can preprogram waypoints for the UGV to follow or order it to autonomously ride back to the operator, follow the operator at a distance, or retrace its path back to the origin.
Argus can also remotely control UAVs, including the ultracompact FLIR Black Hornet, a tiny helicopter-like drone that can fit in the palm of a hand. Such integration of additional sensors is a major advantage for any military user who needs a single device to tackle multiple tasks at once, without compromising the safety of close-by friendly forces. It is exceedingly rare to come across a military tool that can claim to have it all—and mean it.
Argus is one interface, one unit, and one central point for any communications, planning, and operational tool a soldier will ever need.
Visit Rheinmetall booth No. 6618 at AUSA 2019 to learn more about Argus and its unparalleled advantages. For more information, please contact Rheinmetall at soldier@rheinmetall.ca
For more information, please contact:
Oliver Hoffmann
Head of Public Relations
Rheinmetall AG
Tel.: +49-(0)211-473 4748
oliver.hoffmann@rheinmetall.com
