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Seahawk Tests New Technologies

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070908-01
Release Date: 9/8/2007 8:10:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Jennifer Kimball, Fleet Public Affairs Center Pacific

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Active-duty and reserve service members from Naval Coastal Warfare Group 1, Beach Group 1, and U.S. Coast Guard tested new computer and intelligence systems and surveillance technologies Aug. 9-25 during the Seahawk 2007 exercise.

"During the exercise, we tested new technologies in communication, surveillance and information control, which helped increase our battle space awareness and improve communication throughout all camp locations," said Navy Capt. Scott Jerabek, task unit commander for the Seahawk exercise.

Exercise Seahawk 2007 allowed reserve and active-duty military forces to work side-by-side while testing new technologies in an operational environment, instead of relying only on laboratory testing, to ensure they work in a combat environment.

"The new technologies will be a big help to the Navy because they'll help us get our job done more effectively -- while quicker, easier and cheaper," said Electronics Technician 1st Class (SW) Eric Ankney, Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit 106, in charge of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations during the exercise.

Seahawk tested new equipment in communication like the Mission Helmet Recordable System, a helmet with an attached camera that can transmit images; and a Radio Frequency Blade System, an antenna that is capable of transmitting and receiving large amounts of information.

"We're trying to communicate information between different locations faster and more effectively," said Ankney. "With a picture you can show them immediately what you're seeing, instead of trying to report what you see over an audio circuit, which takes a lot of time and can involve a lot of miscommunication."

Other technologies tested during Seahawk include new non-lethal ways to stop small vessels such as "the boat trap" and the Shoulder-Launched Running Gear Entanglement Systems (RGES), which uses a net that is released into the water to stop small watercraft. The boat trap is dropped from a helicopter and the Shoulder-Launched RGES is shot into the water with air canisters; part of the net floats with the help of an inflatable air device while the rest of the net sinks below the surface to catch and disable the propellers of a vessel's engine.

"It's the first time that I've seen and tested the Shoulder-Launched RGES. It worked flawlessly and it was easy and quick to use," said Gunner's Mate 1st Class (SW) Daniel Sharp, Inshore Boat Unit (IBU) 16. "It will be useful in real-world situations. Currently, the only means we have to disable a vehicle is to shoot the engines out, which could cause harm to the passengers. This is a non-lethal way to disable a vehicle without harming its passengers."

Other non-lethal tools include the Laser Dazzlers, which transmit bright pulses of coherent light to render someone temporarily sightless; the Acoustic Hailing Device, a microphone used to talk directly to another boat up to 500 yards away, also can let out a loud wail to encourage people to leave the area.

Another non-lethal weapon allows service members to mark vehicles with an infrared paint; the non-lethal marking method is essentially a fancy paint gun.

Some of the new technologies tested during the exercise even incorporated surveillance, communication and information gathering into one system such as the Australian Technology Information (ATI), a device that integrates multiple systems onto one screen. It allows real time tracking, text messaging and integrates radar, GPS and charting onto one screen.

"[The ATI] is kind of like a friendly force locator," said Senior Chief Boatswain's Mate (ECW) Scott Moss, Integrated Training Team co-leader, a reservist assigned to IBU 14. "I have all the locations, directions of movement and pertinent information about my boats when I'm out in the water. It also allows you to communicate with the base station, or the individual boats."

Another system that tested communication, surveillance and information gathering was the micro UAV or Aqua-micro UAV a water proof version of the system. The Aqua UAV can be flown and land over water making it more versatile. Both versions of the UAV are small devices about the size of a sheet of paper with a built-in global positioning system, and two cameras that collect live video or photographs and can also provide over-the-shore security.

"The new technologies will be a big help," said Gunner's Mate 1st Class James Brabeck, Integrated Training Team member and a reservist assigned to Inshore Boat Team 16. "It will be nice to have something easier, more accurate to use and multi-functional."

Brabeck added that because of the exercise, a lot of his crew members got out on the boats and had the chance to practice with the new equipment.

"Seahawk was a great forum to demonstrate new technology and how to integrate that technology into the operational environment," said Navy Capt. Dave Balk, assistant chief of staff for strategy and new technology, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command.