ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - Representatives from the U.S. Army and Israeli military are meeting March 15-17 at U.S. Army research, development and engineering centers to discuss updates on current technology collaboration.
Representatives from both nations provided updates Tuesday on command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technologies at the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command's communications-electronics center, also known as CERDEC.
"In the area of C4ISR, we always have the requirement to communicate and exchange data with our coalition partners," said Jill Smith, CERDEC technical director.
Currently, CERDEC and Israel collaborate in the areas of command and control interoperability, antennas and spectrum management, radar systems, tactical communications and electronic warfare.
According to Smith, the partnership is looking to extend into the areas of night vision, electro-optics and additional sensor systems.
"None of us have the resources we need to do everything, so leveraging each other lets each of our research dollars go further and we learn things from our coalition partners," Smith said, adding, "We go further faster."
While the U.S. military works closely with academia and industry, it has in-house laboratories to aid with research, development and engineering. In contrast, the Israeli military does not operate in-house laboratories but must work closely with labs in industry and academia, according to Brig. Gen. Eytan Eshel, head of the Military Research and Development Unit with the Israel Ministry of Defense Directorate Research and Development.
As part of the collaboration, the U.S. and Israel have a set of data exchange agreements where each country can leverage the other's resources to increase military capabilities. Currently through the DEAs, engineers from both countries try to meet in each country at least once a year.
Additionally, a CERDEC engineer works in Israel as part of the engineering, science and exchange program. CERDEC also hosts an Israeli lieutenant colonel as a foreign liaison officer.
Meetings will continue Wednesday at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center in Natick, Mass., before concluding Thursday at the Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center in Warren, Mich.
Related Links:
U.S. Army RDECOM CERDEC Facebook
Social Sharing