Ground commanders are to get a new system that will tell them what is happening in the air, helping to reduce friendly fire incidents and improve their ability to counter air attacks, under a £100 million contract with Lockheed Martin UK INSYS.
The Land Environment Air Picture Provision (LEAPP) programme will provide land commanders with a detailed local picture of their own and other forces' in the air so they can better coordinate airspace activity. This will help them to be more effective in combat and reduce the risk of friendly fire incidents.Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Baroness Taylor, said: 'LEAPP is a new, world-class system that will give our commanders on the ground a detailed picture of activity in the air showing the location of allies in relation to opposing forces. It will improve commanders' ability to plan and strike effectively and help prevent 'friendly-fire' incidents. Battles of the future will benefit significantly from this system.' The system uses ground-based sensors connected to equipment on a vehicle or trailer; data from the sensors is collated to produce the air picture. The equipment can be deployed in different configurations for a variety of military tasks. The MoD Defence Equipment and Support project team leader Steve Wyatt said: 'We work closely with the Armed Forces and industry to deliver equipment that will give our troops the edge when they need it. 'This system will provide vital information for the land air defence missile systems our troops operate.' The contract which has been awarded to Lockheed Martin UK INSYS is expected to sustain up to 100 jobs at the contractor's facilities in Ampthill, Bedfordshire and at other sites in the UK. The LEAPP system is expected to enter service in 2012. |
