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Air Force develops friend versus foe identification system

  • Published
  • By Mindy Cooper
  • Materials and Manufacturing Directorate
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The Air Force Research Laboratory has developed a technology that helps identify friendly forces during combat exercises.

Working with Lumitex Inc., AFRL's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate developed and fielded the Target Recognition Operator Notification, or TRON, system which has the potential to save lives and increase combat effectiveness.

"Responding to established needs," said 1st Lt. TJ Turner, the lead engineer for combat support technology, "the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate partnered with Lumitex Inc., of Strongsville, Ohio, to further develop methods established by the Army. Lumitex Inc., produced a fiber optic cloth that Materials and Manufacturing Directorate researchers realized could be used to develop a more accurate system of identification."

The directorate acquired the fiber optic cloth and worked closely with Lumitex Inc., and user groups to create the TRON system and produced 108 prototypes in a period of six months. The directorate used funds from their company grade officer's initiative Program, which provides lieutenants and captains the opportunity to receive funding to work on a special project outside their core technology area.

TRON is comprised of Lumitex Inc.'s patented thin and flexible fiber optic woven cloth cut to military specifications. The sheets of the fiber optic cloth are laminated into layers and can be formed into lighting devices of multiple shapes and sizes. According to Lieutenant Turner, the woven nature of the cloth emits light in a controlled way creating a uniform light-emitting surface.

Officials say they expect the technology to be inexpensive and rapidly transferable to the field. It has a long battery life, running 200 hours on two AA batteries, and weighs less than three ounces. The system can be worn under the clothes, on outer tactical vests, on an arm or mounted to a helmet.

"The TRON I system was first tested at the Team Patriot exercise at Volk Field, Wis.," Lieutenant Turner explained. "Feedback from Army aviation units showed that the system clearly allowed them to identify friendly forces on the ground. Design changes were also suggested by Army and Air Force personnel, which will lead to the future development of TRON. The improved system includes a better electronics package, modified flash rates, and a new case design."

After the initial TRON evaluation, Air Force Special Operations Command personnel requested that larger units be made to identify friendly positions during close air support operations. This system, known as TRON III, is made of the same fiber optic cloth but has six times the brightness of TRON I. It hooks into a vehicle's power supply, so there is no need for an external power supply. It is brightly colored for daytime recognition as well. This prototype was developed as a joint effort between the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, which decided on the specifications, and Lumitex Inc., which built the system. TRON III was developed and put in the field for testing three months after the need was established.

"Currently, TRON I and III are being used in deployed locations, and were used at Red Flag, a joint air operation exercise held at Nellis Air Force Base (Nev.)," Lieutenant Turner said. "In real world conditions, TRON I was used to successfully mark and cordon an unused improvised explosive device, enabling a bomb disposal team to come in and quickly identify and destroy it. It has also been used in over 40 close air support missions. TRON III has been used for at least two successful close air support missions."