The Persistent Threat Detection System
entered its next chapter as Lt. Col. Michael Parodi, product manager
Meteorological and Target Identification, was on hand at the Lockheed Martin
facility in Dayton, Ohio; to accept the delivery of the last PTDS ordered.
Since
its original introduction as a quick reaction capability, the Army has procured
66 systems that have been used in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Persistent Threat Detection System, or
PTDS, is a large aerostat tethered to a mooring platform, which is accompanied
by a Ground Control Station, or GCS. The system is equipped with both visual
and audio surveillance technology.
Since
the Civil War, when Union Soldiers utilized hot air balloons to serve as a
surveillance platform, lighter than air technology has been a part of the
Army’s inventory.
As U.S. forces began a troop surge in Afghanistan while maintaining
security in Iraq the need to provide soldiers with a persistent view of the
battlefield was paramount.
In 2008, (then) Secretary of Defense
Robert Gates directed an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, or ISR,
surge dedicated to providing soldiers with the ability to understand their
environment.
One of the systems that was fielded to
support the ISR surge was PTDS.
“PTDS has proven to be a great asset for
[service members] as well as our coalition partners serving in harm’s way.”
said Parodi. “They have been instrumental in providing mission overwatch,
detecting [improvised explosive devices] and assisting in the capture of
numerous high value targets and weapons caches.”
PTDS acts as a force multiplier for
commanders on the ground as it can be utilized to scan large areas of terrain
for potential insurgent activity while interacting with various other sensors
to give a complete picture of potential threats. Information collected by the
system is distributed to soldiers via various routes including the Distributed
Common Ground System-Army, or DCGS-A; which is an intelligence tool.
Convoy
protection, counter-improvised explosive device and a real-time perspective of
engagements with the enemy are amongst the roles PTDS play for troops on the
ground.
“Our commanders in the field have
incorporated PTDS into many of their missions including force protection; while
local citizens recognize the platform provides an unblinking eye keeping watch
for insurgent activity,” noted Parodi.
The system operates 24 hours a day
utilizing a crew of five operators working 12 hours shifts. With an ability to
reach heights that are out of the range of most enemy threats, PTDS offers the
user a vast perspective of the battlefield.
Since its original fielding the system
has seen numerous improvements including the addition of a second sensor to
provide greater ISR coverage as well as improvements to the aerostat itself,
better weather effects survivability and weather forecasting, increased lift
and payload capability, and improved network and equipment connectivity.
By Brandon Pollachek, PEO IEW&S PAO
From www.army.mil
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