L-3 Communications (Hall 4 Stand 18, Chalet A16-18) is showing a new, handheld version of the Rover device that has rapidly become essential kit for allied ground troops directing airstrikes in Iraq and Afghanistan. The company has already delivered some 4,000 of the previous, laptop-size Rover 3 and 4 versions, which display video feeds from various airborne platforms. Last winter, Rover gained a British royal “seal of approval” when Prince Harry used one of the devices in combat in Afghanistan, during his short tour there as a forward air controller (FAC).
Rover stands for remote operations video enhanced receiver. According to L-3, it is essentially a software-defined radio that gives FACs (also known as joint tactical air controllers–JTACs) the same view of potential targets available to aircrew or unmanned aerial vehicle operators. The devices have been rapidly developed and fielded since 2002, when a U.S. Army Green Beret arrived unannounced at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and outlined the urgent need for troops-in-contact to enjoy shared situational awareness with the shooters flying overhead.
