Of course, Talisman is heavily influenced by the US Armed Forces' own reactions to the IED nightmare.
Now, while Talisman continues to work in Afghanistan without knowing its long term future (sudden death in 2015 when UOR funding from the Treasury dries up, or long life into the Core Defence Budget?), i want to take a look at the many talismans of NATO and allied forces, from the US to Italy, from France to Australia.
United States
The vehicles used by the US route clearance packages
have been adopted, in a way or another, by most of the allies involved in
Afghanistan. Much of the doctrine for the job is the same, as well, so i
suggest reading this extremely interesting handbook, a true "Guide to route clearance in
Afghanistan".
A typical RCP has a couple of Husky vehicles for the detection of mines and IEDs,
particularly those buried in the road. The Husky is meant to tow
mine-detonating trailers, but this is not
normally done.
When a possible IED is detected, the Buffalo is sent to investigate with its mechanical manipulator arm. The Buffalo
is huge and heavily protected, so it is the perfect vehicle for the job. Most
of the time, the eventual explosion of the IED will leave the personnel inside
unscathed.
 |
| The Husky system is meant to carry trailers capable to trigger pressure plates and AT mines to clear paths through minefields, but in Afghanistan it is normally used without trailers, only for detection. |
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| The Husky has been very successful on the field, it is popular, it has gained many export orders, and has been acquired in very consistent numbers by the US, with plans to keep it around long into the future as well, and contracts worth hundreds of million of dollars already placed in this sense. But the Husky is also a stressful vehicle to drive: the single man driving it has to look around for threats, drive, and look at the sensors and screen displaying the data. The workload is noticeable, so a two-seat variant has been developed from the Husky III. The new two-seat crew cell is installed on the same vehicle hull and mechanics, but offers the possibily to share the workload, and it introduces the possibility of arming the vehicle for self-defence, with a CROWS remote weapon station. It is a significant improvement. |
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| Husky two-seat with CROWS and ground-penetrating radar with metal detector included. |
Escort is provided by RG-31 vehicles, or other MRAPs of the fortunate Cougar
series, either the 6x6 (Mastiff for the UK) or the 4x4 (Ridgback for the UK). The
US engineer's main vehicle is however the RG-31, which is extensively used for
command and control and force protection in the Route Clearance convoys.
At least a M984 heavy expanded mobility
tactical truck (HEMTT) wrecker for recovery will also typically be present. It can
tow and lift all vehicles (the Buffalo should not be lifted other than in
extreme cases, as its weight is actually excessive).
The M916 6x6 tractor, pulling a 40-ton
M870 trailer, is used for the transport of additional equipment and the
recovery of damaged vehicles.
A variety of add-on systems help the
convoy carrying out its route-clearing task: one common addition is the Self-Protection Adaptive Roller Kit (SPARK) which is used to detonate IEDs and
mines ahead of the vehicle. In 80% of the cases, repair of a damaged SPARK is
done within hours, so it is a very effective and simple way to deal with
pressure-triggered devices. The configuration of the roller can be modified to
adapt to the vehicle to which it will be attached: normally in a RCP you will
find it on RG-31 vehicles, but it can be fitted even to the front of M1114 and
M1115 "heavy" HMMWV.
 |
| A UK Buffalo, with RPG armor cage. |
The more recent SPARK System II offers the possibility to change distance from the
vehicle to the roller, without leaving the cab. The crew can also, in any
moment, detach SPARKS II from the vehicle without leaving the protection of the
cab, allowing the crew to carry on with their vehicle and get to safety or
continue the mission if the roller gets damaged and becomes a hindrance.
 |
| This british Mastiff Protected Eyes is employing a SPARK roller kit. Note the ROTAS mast-mounted sight |
Mast-mounted sensors and gyro-stabilized day/night
cameras are another very common and very useful addition normally found on
RG-31 vehicles within the patrol. It provides full-motion video and on-the-move
detection capability, and long-range overwatch when stationary.
Normally, on unpaved roads the Husky vehicles are
always opening the way, followed by a RG-31 with SPARK roller, and then by the
rest of the convoy, which has of course to dispose in the formation most
adequate to the situation, with the recovery trucks normally somewhere in the
middle, where they can be protected.
On paved roads, the Husky vehicles often move in
second place, behind the roller, because their false-alarm rate skyrocket
because of underground infrastructure, trash, debris and other deceiving
factors.
United Kingdom
The Mastiff resembles the american solution both in
concept and in composition. When it was first procured, at an initial cost of
97 million pounds, it included Mastiff 2 in EOD configuration (some 23), 14 Buffalo
vehicles, SPARK mine rollers, 6 T-Hawk mini drone systems and Talon UGVs, plus High Mobility Engineer Excavators.
The Talisman has been expanded with the addition of a
few other components over time, turning it in a very effective solution. It is
believed that 6 complete Talisman teams are on operation in Afghanistan at any
one time, with possibly the equivalent of a seventh used for training on
Salisbury Plain, but of course there's a veil of secrecy over the matter, and
details aren't disclosed.
A Talisman system is currently (probably) counting on
average 2 Buffalo vehicles, around 4 Mastiff "Protected Eyes", some
or all with SPARK rollers, 2 "Project PANAMA" Unmanned Ground
Vehicles, 2 Talon UGVs, 2 HMEE and 2 T-Hawk drones, and at least one Mini MineWolf drone.
Numbers are roughly compatible with this
interpretation, but it is likely that the composition of a Talisman patrol is
far from set in stone, and changes depending on the mission and on the availability
of vehicles. Escort is said to preferably provided via Viking and now via
Warthog, as these all-terrain vehicles can gain the high ground around the
route to clear, avoiding mines and IEDs thanks to their mobility.
 |
| A British HMEE as used in the Talisman convoys. |
Project PANAMA has been around for some time, but only last year it
was confirmed that it is a conversion of a number (at least a dozen) of Snatch
Land Rovers into remotely operated vehicles. It is not clear which sensors
PANAMA carries, but it is believed that the suite is likely to comprehend a
ground-penetrating radar and/or metal detectors. Already in 2009 a few photos
were leaked of a remotely-operated Snatch fitted with what seems to be some
kind of radar or metal detector.
If fitted with a good radar and metal detector, PANAMA
is undoubtedly a blessing: the initial Talisman came with a serious weakness at
the "find" voice, and many have wondered why the Husky vehicle and
its radar was not procured.
 |
| Snatch Land Rovers turned into robots: Project PANAMA in action. Is that a ground-penetrating radar on the front? |
The Mini MineWolf MW240 is another recent addition. Weighting some 6
tons, the drone is a miniaturized, remotely operated variant of the MineWolf
mine clearing vehicle, that uses tiller or, more commonly, flails in order to
detonate mines and IEDs. A few photos and a video (in German and relative to the German army, however) show
the MW240s in action, fitted with EO turrets and mechanical arms that enable to
drone to deploy its flails even into ditches and canals, to clean them from
explosive traps. It makes for a safe and quick disposal method, that keeps EOD
personnel safe.
 |
| Mini MineWolf MW240: the introduction of the mechanical arm has opened up new possibilities for this drone, even if normally you will see it fitted with flails to cause the explosion of hidden IEDs. |
The Mastiff Protected Eyes sports a mast-mounted Remote
Optical Target Acquisition System (ROTAS) that incorporates the Thales Catherine
Mega Pixel thermal camera, high zoom colour TV camera and the Celt laser. This
allows for accurate lased ranges to targets combining with the GNAV sat Nav
system for precise target and own vehicle grid referencing.
They are also fitted with the Kongsberg Protector
Remote Weapon Station (RWS), armed normally with a .50 machine gun.
The Mastiff serves as a Command and Control platform
for the Talisman convoys, and carries the Talon and T-Hawk drones. It is also
seen pushing the SPARK roller.
The T-Hawk is a VTOL mini-drone with some 45 minutes
of endurance. It was initially operated by Royal Engineer personnel, but was
then assigned to the Royal Artillery when the latter became the Army's sole
authority for UAVs. it is good to provide overwatch and to scout ahead, and its
air downwash is known to be exploited to blast the dust away from suspected
IEDs on the road.
 |
| T-Hawk drone |
The UK has deployed to Afghanistan 3 Trojan vehicles as well, along with a CHARRV "Rhino" recovery vehicle. The Trojan has been used to great effect to clear the way for maneuver during several operations. The Pythoon rocket system for mine clearance was employed.
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| Trojan and Pythoon: how it works |
Talisman is operated, during each Herrick tour, by a
Royal Engineer Squadron, deployed in addition to the 3 Squadrons of the
roulement engineer regiment.
As it is an UOR purchased specifically for
Afghanistan, its long term future is
still in doubt. Obviously, my opinion is that such a precious capability, and
the skill accumulated with years of sacrifice in treasure and blood, should not
be wasted. IEDs are here to stay, so the solution must be here to stay as well:
the hope is that at least one squadron in one of the General Support Engineer Regiments
will continue to use Talisman, brought into the core budget.
This hope is supported by this significant passage of
the SDSR:
Capabilities
will include:
•
a range of capabilities to counter explosive ordnance and IEDs;
Of course, the credibility of the SDSR is not very
high after all what's happened, and the above passage anyway leaves huge margin
for maneuver (and for cutting Talisman off), but one can hope.
Canada
In the last three years spent in Afghanistan under
Operation Athena, the canadian soldiers were assisted by the Expedient Route
Opening Capability (EROC) system.
The EROC uses american-built Husky (6) and Buffalo (5)
vehicles for detection and manipulation, and includes Cougar 6x6 vehicles (5)
for the transport of the EOD teams and their equipment. These were organized in
two packages.
The cost, with 2 years of support and training
services, was 26 million dollars.
The thick of the Canadian Army's force in Afghanistan
was retired during 2011, with their infantry battlegroup being removed and all
combat roles terminated by July.
Some 950 Canadians remain in Afghanistan, but they are
formally out of ISAF and only work as part of the NATO Training Mission
Afghanistan, preparing the local forces.
The EROC has not gone wasted, as Australia leased it
immediately after the Canadians ceased needing it.
Australia
The Australian army's "Talisman" is called
NINGAUI and has been announced in December 2011. Four systems are being procured for the army's
engineers for some 70 million dollars, with each system comprising:
• Two HUSKY Mark 3 protected route
clearance vehicles with ground penetrating radars (GPR) to detect explosive
hazards;
• One HUSKY Mark 3 protected route
clearance vehicle with interrogator arm to confirm that an explosive hazard has
been found from a safer distance;
• Two protected High Mobility Engineer
Excavators (HMEEs) to repair damaged routes and create bypass routes;
• Two Bushmaster protected mobility
vehicles fitted with SPARK mine rollers to provide a greater level of protection
against explosive hazards.
NINGAUI won't be available before later this year, so
in the interim Australia has leased two systems Expedient Route Opening Capability (EROC) from Canada.
France
The French Army put together two Route Clerance Packages
for use in Afghanistan, one based in Kabisa and one in Surobi.
Each system is equipped with two american-built
Buffalo vehicles, ordered in 2008 in number of 5 for 3.5 million dollars; 2 SOUVIM 2
vehicles and a number of heavily protected Aravis 4x4 armored vehicles from Nexter carrying EOD teams and equipment.
 |
| Souvim 2 vehicle with trailer. |
The SOUVIM 2 is a mine-clearance system capable to detonate a wide
variety of mines and IEDs, both pressure and IR triggered. The system is
composed by two one-man vehicles, highly protected and riding on huge,
low-pressure tires capable to move over pressure mines without triggering them.
The first vehicle, (VDM) is fitted with the stand-off decoy support frame, with
wire-cutters and infrared and magnetic active decoys. The vehicle pulls a
trailer (RDM-1) which can detonate pressure mines and mark the cleared path.
The second vehicle (VTR), tows the trailers RDM-2 and
3, which complete the pressure-mine triggering and expand the width of the
cleared lane up to 3.9 meters.
The SOUVIM is intended to clear as many as 150 km of
roads per day.
Germany
Germany has been developing a national solution to the
Route Clearance problem, using Fuchs and Wiesel vehicles. The German Route
Clearance Package, which is the most "unmanned" solution currently
available/in development.
A German RC Package comprises 5 vehicles: the first is
a modified Wiesel light tank, turned into a remotely operated drone, and fitted
with a large Ground Penetrating Radar with integral metal detector mounted on a
mechanical arm in the back. The Wiesel deploys the radar backwards, and indeed,
when in operation, the Wiesel-radar is driven in reverse, and slowly (6 km per
hour). So configured, the Wiesel is known as RCDV (Remote Controlled Detection
Vehicle).
 |
| The Wiesel RCDV in action: moving in reverse and with the radar/metal detector in hunting position. |
When not in use, the Wiesel radar drone is carried on
the back of an 8x8 Multi FSA truck. This is a MAN SX45 chassis with DROPS equipment
("Multi" is a german acronym for Mechanisierte Umschlag -, Lagerung
-, Trasport-integration”). "FSA" stands for "Fahrzeugschutzausstattung"
and refers to the built-in integrated armor and protection features.
Differently from normal military trucks, this particular variant is not fitted
with modular armor packages for deployment, but is built with integrated
protection purposefully designed. The truck can independently load and unload
containers (including one armored and fitted for the carriage of 18 soldiers)
or flatbeds loaded with light vehicles. Payload is 15 tons.
The second vehicle is a heavily modified
Fuchs 6x6 armoured vehicles, turned into a remotely operated platform, the
Fuchs 1A8 KAI. This vehicle, still in development, is to be fitted with a
massive mechanical manipulating arm with a reach of over 12 meters. the Fuchs
1A8 KAI reconnaissance and identification vehicle, equipped with a manipulator
arm developed by Rheinmetall for bomb disposal. At the end of the manipulator
arm is a dual ground-penetrating radar and electromagnetic induction sensor.
Manipulation of the stabilized arm is by a center tool control.
The KAI excavates objects through soil or
paved roads with an air spade for visual inspection by camera and verification
of whether they are mines, IEDs or false alarms. Mines and IEDs can then be
neutralized, destroyed with an explosive disposal charge or by mechanical
activation of the fuze.
The KAI is also equipped with a multitool
consisting of a gripper, ripper teeth and fork.
 |
| Loading the Mini MineWolf on the MAN Multi FSA truck. |
The manipulator can be used for visual
inspection of bridges, buildings and canals, and the far-reaching arm can also
be used for recovering wounded personnel, if a rescue platform that carries two
soldiers and is stabilized to prevent motion sickness is installed in place of
the manipulator.
Industry is expecting an order for the KAI this year and is saying that the vehicle
could also mount a high-power microwave and laser. In Germany, Rheinmetall has
demonstrated a vehicle-mounted package comprising a 1 kW laser and an AMBUH
TERMINATOR system.
The AMBUSH TERMINATOR, from Rheinmetall, was first
presented in 2008. It is a vehicle-borne high power microwave (HPEM)
Ultra-Wideband (continuous MHz to GHz coverage) system capable to activate, or
disable electronic-controlled systems at a safe distance from the vehicle. The
systems can be placed as add-on modules or embedded in the doors for concealed
applications.
Laser and TERMINATOR were both shown installed on a
TM170 4x4 armored vehicle, and we cannot exclude a future adoption of the
system on the 1A8 KAI.
 |
| This Fuchs is being used as demonstrator for the new mechanical arm destined to the KAI. |
The mechanical arm is highly automated, and it will
automatically maneuver to intervene in the spot that is indicated from the
command and control vehicle.
The command and control vehicle is another Fuchs 1A8
6x6, which in the back carries a couple of operator consoles: one is for the
control of the remotely operated vehicles and systems, while the other is for a
mission analyst and is used to view and study all data coming in from the
unmanned assets.
For the disposal of detected IEDs, the RCP has a Mini
MineWolf drone. The German Army purchased seven Mini MineWolf systems and a
range of attachments for a variety of route clearance tasks. They have procured
flails, tillers, dozer shields and the combined gripperbucket tool for the remote controlled robotic arm, which was
specifically designed to meet German Army requirements.
The Route Clearance Package started operations in
Afghanistan late last year, while the development of the KAI is being completed
in Germany.
Italy
Italy is procuring its own Route Clearance solution
itself, but it is a project aimed to the future more than to Afghanistan, as it
won't be ready before 2014. In Afghanistan, the work will continue to be done
by a package of 4 Buffalos and 6 Cougar 6x6 in EOD configuration, procured
under UOR.
The solution to come by 2014 is far more complete and
interesting. A full Route Clearance Package of the new type will number 5
vehicles, and all five will be VTMM 4x4, 18-tons protected vehicles.
The first VTMM is fitted with Calife 3 pushed decoy with wheels meant to activate pressure
plates, wires and rollers, plus infrared, tripwire and tilt-rod activators. It
is intended to lead the way and perform the initial route clearance,
identifying and detonating any threat at safe distance (the arm's reach is
about 3.5 meters). The frontal assembly weights some 750 kg and can be lifted
to clear obstacles during vehicle movement.
 |
| The VTMM 4x4 offers NATO STANAG Level 3 blast and ballistic protection. The Italian army is hoping to buy well over a thousand vehicles to cover a wide variety of support roles, from the towing of howitzers in theatre to Route Clearance. |
A second VTMM is fitted with a powerful
ground-penetrating radar, the Visor 2500 from UK's Chemring (the radar is made
by the US company Niitek, which was acquired in 2008 by Chemring. The Visor
2500 radar is used on the famous Husky route-clearance system and on other
vehicles). This radar can detect buried mines and IEDs and give to the operator
inside the vehicle a 2 or 3D image of the ground, with software working to
recognize the nature of objects detected and minimize false alarm rates.
The Visor 2500 radar is considered part of the Calife
3. The Calife 3 is being developed in collaboration with MBDA Italy, building
on the experience accumulated with the french Souvim system. The Italian MOD
has committed some 199 million dollars to the program, and aims to acquire 16
systems with an option for 10 more. The 16 systems are probably to be intended
as 8 radars and 8 decoy modules.
A third VTMM is fitted with a manipulating mechanical
arm, with a reach of several meters, capable to dig to locate the IED and
probably fitted with additional equipment to disrupt the bomb's systems.
A fourth VTMM will be fitted with sensors, probably
mast-mounted, to provide overwatch and surveillance.
The Italian Army is also going to procure VTMM
vehicles in EOD team configuration, to give protected mobility to the disposal
teams and their drones. One vehicle in this configuration will complete each
Route Clearance Package.
The plan is to procure 8 full RCPs, for a total of 40
vehicles and an option for a further 25. The expense is expected to be in the
order of 157 million euro by 2014, including 22 million for 5 prototypes, 80
million for the 40 vehicles on order, 50 million for the option (if it is
exercised) and some 5 millions in spares and support. Each of the 40 vehicles
will be fitted with an HITROLE remote weapon station, already on order.
16 Calife 3 systems are enough to equip the 40
vehicles of the main order, making up the 8 RCPs currently planned. The option
for 25 more vehicles and 10 more Calife 3 systems (5 radars and 5 decoys) would
enable the Army to stand up a further 5 RC packages.
There is also a requirement for an active system
capable to counter the threat of remotely detonated IEDs, and the solution,
while not yet announced, is thought to have been found in the german AMBUSH
TERMINATOR system.
The VTMM is an interesting medium vehicle coming in
4x4 (18 tons) and 6x6 (25 tons) variants and developed jointly by Italy's Iveco
(mainly responsible for the 4x4) and the German Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. The
Italian army is planning to buy well over 1000 of these vehicles to cover a
huge variety of supporting roles. 12 in Ambulance variant have already been
ordered, with another order for a further 50 expected soon. The total
requirement could be as high as 1400 vehicles, but much will depend on the
changes the Army undergoes with the recently announced loss of 2 maneuver
brigades as part of budget cuts.
Comment: the approaches to the IED problem have been similar, but the final solutions have ended up being considerably different under many aspects. Standardization within the Alliance is still often only a dream, and duplication is still way too frequent: the Souvim 2 and the Husky are conceptually very similar, while the Calife 3, while essentially putting together elements of the Husky and of the Souvim, has at least the merit of coming with an installation structure that makes it quite easy to install it on the front of pretty much any kind of suitably mine-protected MRAP.
The UK's Talisman appears to be one of the most complete Route Clearance solutions available, at this point. Now the hope is that it is retained in the long term, so that the next campaign does not find us all as unprepared as we were in 2001.
