ROMSEY, England, March 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Roke Manor Research Limited (a Chemring Group company) has been awarded a three-year, £5 million research contract by the UK Government's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).

Under the Dismounted Close Combat Sensors (DCCS) Research Programme, Roke will lead a team of specialists, drawn from across industry and academia, to assess, mature and integrate innovative sensor technology for the dismounted close combat infantry soldier.

An important goal of the programme is to develop an open system architecture, in line with the developing Generic Soldier Architecture (GSA), to allow for the integration of multiple sensor-based subsystems, such as acoustic, thermal imaging and RF subsystems. The system would enhance situational awareness, facilitate collaborative targeting and increase operational tempo, while minimising the size, weight and power burden on the soldier.

The DCCS Research Programme Team comprises Roke as prime, SEA and QinetiQ, performing a comprehensive system integration, architecture and experimentation role. The team will work with a wide range of technology and exploitation partners, in an open framework, to assess and integrate sensor technologies. Roke will also work closely with Dstl to ensure the objectives of the programme are met.

Dr David Massey, Programme Lead for Dstl's C4ISR Domain, stated: "The DCCS research to be delivered by Roke is an important programme for the Ministry of Defence. The intent is to develop the UK's dismounted soldier as an integrated sensor capability within the wider ISTAR enterprise, thus providing him with greater local and shared situational awareness whilst increasing his overall combat effectiveness. Over the next three years, Roke, along with its partners, will be developing the key low-power, low-weight sensor and processing technologies that will realise the benefits envisaged."

"Dstl encourages all sensor technology suppliers with potential offerings to contact Roke with details as to how they may be able to contribute to the programme," Massey said.

James Fisher, Business Sector Manager at Roke, said: "The team will be casting the net wide to identify novel sensor technologies, developing them into workable solutions that improve military capability and therefore maximise the return on this programme's investment.

"As a team, we will deliver a complete range of industry and technology expertise that will optimise the programme's results. Roke has a proven pedigree of complex, consortium-based research activities. Coupled with our industry-leading capabilities in the soldier sensor technology space, we have a thorough understanding of how to exploit research to deliver effective technologies," concluded Fisher.

About Roke http://www.roke.co.uk

Roke, based in Romsey, Hampshire, is the principal electronics research and development centre of Chemring Group Plc. Founded in 1956, Roke is one of the UK's leading suppliers of innovative solutions and contract R&D, pioneering developments in electronic sensors, networks and communications technology. It employs 450 staff and has over 430 patents to its name.

About Dstl  http://www.dstl.gov.uk

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) maximises the impact of science and technology (S&T) for the defence and security of the UK, supplying sensitive and specialist S&T services for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and wider government. It starts from the presumption that work should be conducted by external suppliers unless there is a clear reason for it to be done or led by Dstl. At present, around sixty percent of the approximately £400 million Defence Science and Technology Programme, managed through Dstl, goes to industry and academia to deliver. Dstl is a trading fund of the MOD, run along commercial lines. It is one of the principal government organisations dedicated to S&T in the defence and security field, with around 3,700 staff at its three main sites: Porton Down, near Salisbury, Portsdown West, near Portsmouth, and Fort Halstead, near Sevenoaks.