AREA DENIAL


MUCH WORK TO DO The Volcano system, shown here before refurbishment, is a mass scatterable mine delivery system that delivers mines by helicopter or ground vehicle. The age of such systems presents a variety of sustainment challenges, including battery life, changes in the air and ground vehicles that emplace them, and many others. (Photo courtesy PEO Ammunition)


Te increase in terrain-shaping system usage has resulted in a variety of sustainment challenges. Compounding these chal- lenges are the age and landmine factors inherent in some legacy Family of Scatterable Mines (FASCAM) systems.


Collaborative efforts by the Project Manager, Close Combat Sys- tems (PM CCS) within the Program Executive Office (PEO) for Ammunition; U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC); and U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command have provided extensive and successful support to the user community to overcome these challenges. Te effects of this support are visible at the proponency level, at the level of units in the field, and at combat training centers.


Some of the sustainment challenges with legacy area-denial sys- tems include system age; battery life and obsolescence; changes in ground and air prime mover platforms; the demand for and availability of repair parts; priority of sustainment funding; unit familiarity with maintaining and operating the systems; and evolving policy guidance and treaty requirements.


20 Army AL&T Magazine April-June 2016


Military forces use FASCAM systems to rapidly emplace terrain- shaping obstacles onto specific geographic locations with the intent of altering or ceasing the enemy’s movement in a manner desired by friendly forces, to gain tactical advantage. Multiple systems, both air and ground, exist to accomplish this goal.


A BATTERY OF CHALLENGES One of the primary challenges with older systems that contain electronic components, such as the Volcano,


is the constant


advance of technology. Keeping pace with the rapid evolution of electronic technologies is a tremendous challenge, and systems like the Volcano require periodic attention to ensure they do not become obsolete.


Separately, many systems share a challenge with battery life- span and performance. Many of the Army’s advanced munition capabilities are particularly dependent upon battery lifespan and reliability, as these munitions require dependable, constant and immediately available power, and they cannot be attached to external power. Many batteries in the legacy FASCAM muni- tions systems such as the Volcano are embedded within the


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