The Spanish Foot-Soldier System (Sistema Combatiente a Pie: SISCAP) project aims to develop and integrate technology that suitably equips soldiers for an efficient combat operation. This national program, kicking off in 2017, is broken down into 7 subsystems: Armaments and Munitions (Armamento y Munición); Fire Efficiency (Eficacia de Fuego: EFU); Communications and Information Subsystem (Subsistema de Información y Comunicación: SIC); Upkeep (Sostenimiento); Survival (Supervivencia); Power Source (Fuente de Alimentación: FAL); and Training (Preparación).

This project, drawing from the lessons learned in the forerunner Future Soldier 2006-2010 (Combatiente del Futuro: COMFUT) program, involves the development of 3 prototypes (HW and SW). SISCAP in particular centers on the research, design, development and vetting of the functions of the EFU subsystem to boost its capabilities of detection, reconnaissance and acquisition, together with the basic components of the SIC for the soldier’s connectivity, such as the system’s screenless computer and device control component or soldier’s control unit.

GMV, in a joint venture with Indra, will be responsible for integration of the abovementioned subsystems and will develop the electronics and software of the soldier’s main computer (Central Power Distribution and Processing Unit (Unidad central del Proceso y distribución de Energía: UCPE). The UCPE, based on a previous inhouse GMV R&D development, is responsible for command and control capabilities, connectivity with the devices carried by the soldier and power management, one of the most critical factors in the whole soldier system.

The Critical Design Review (CDR); recently held in GMV’s Tres Cantos head office, was attended by Brigade General Roberto Soria (head of the terrestrial systems of the Program Management Subdirectorate of the Directorate General of Armaments and Material (DGAM in Spanish initials), Colonel Moisés Serrano Martínez (head of DGAM’s SISCAP program) together with the rest of SISCAP’s program office plus representatives from the Spanish army, air-force and navy.

The visitors were also given a guided tour around GMV’s site, with demos of hardware like the Shot-Detection and Vehicle-Navigation subsystems developed for the VCR 8x8 wheeled combat vehicle, the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) for the A400M aircraft’s crane system and the Flight Control Computer FCC) for the RPAS ATLANTE. The tour ended with a demonstration of GMV’s space prowess, with special stress on the company’s recently awarded contract for maintenance and upgrading of the Galileo Ground Control Segment (GCS).