New L-3 device protects against IEDs

L-3 TRL Technology, a unit of L-3 Communications’ Integrated Systems Group, has launched the next generation of its Broad Shield force-protection device against improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

The product is being displayed at the Association of the U.S. Army annual meeting and exposition today through Oct. 11 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

The Broad Shield Tactical Manpack (TMP) is a programmable IED jammer and countermeasures system that upgrades Broad Shield force-protection units used by coalition forces, according to a company statement.

L-3 created the new version based on customer feedback and operational experience, and after extensive testing against a broad range of threats, the statement reads.

About 50 percent lighter and smaller than its predecessor, Broad Shield TMPs retain the original system’s flexibility – including the same frequency range, performance, mission duration and transmission capabilities – combined with an increased ability to address simultaneous threats, according to the statement.

Warfighters can configure Broad Shield TMPs for various uses, such as in vehicles, for explosive ordnance disposal or for on-base protection. The TMPs can handle the diverse frequencies that remote-controlled IEDs use.

Broad Shield TMP uses all available electronic countermeasure jamming techniques, including spot, multiple-target spot and wideband noise jamming. The equipment is fully field-programmable, so new mission parameters and waveforms can be loaded into the unit from a handheld device or a laptop computer.

L-3 TRL Technology is a manufacturer of radio and satellite communications systems with operations at a number of secure sites near Tewkesbury, England.