Implementing a situation awareness system for the SPRAT rapid bridge installation system of CNIM

In operation since 2013, the rapid bridge installation system SPRAT (CNIM) is a tactical solution for mobility support of ground units, that is used to cross ravines or waterways. Specially designed to meet the requirements of such operations, the size of this vehicle considerably complicates its maneuverability, especially under fire. In addition, the SPRAT is able to execute on-road or off-road maneuvers (in snow, sand, etc.) and to conduct night and day bridging operations from unprepared banks. As part of the modernization program of the SPRAT, Bertin provided CNIM with the PeriSight optronic solution combined with an enhanced control-command system, both aiming at facilitating driving and tactical gap crossing in hostile environments. Taking the SPRAT’ size into account, Bertin supplied CNIM with 8 optronic modules to be spread over the platform. Covering all 360 degrees, the PeriSight solution ensures situation awareness in poor visibility conditions. Moreover, this distributed architecture broadens the crew’s knowledge of the vehicle’s immediate environment, in order to facilitate its maneuverability and to protect it from potential threats or external attacks.

Comprising night and day vision sensors, the optronic solution PeriSight makes the crossing of dry and wet gaps easier by night, even when the lights are turned off. The fusion of visible and infrared channels allows for immediate detection and identification of a danger in the vehicle’ surroundings. Such a configuration improves the safety of the crew but also of the other vehicles taking part in the maneuver, while preserving the surprise effect.
As for Situation Awareness, it is done by a calculator continuously controlling and reproducing 8 video streams before transmitting them to the crew’ screens. The latter are equipped with a human-machine interface, from which the operators analyze the information gathered by the camera modules. Moreover, the ergonomics of the control-command supervision system has been specially adapted to the operational constraints of the crew, enabling it to focus on the objectives of its mission. Since some optronic sensors are fitted with telemetry capabilities, the PeriSight solution contributes to gap measurement for a rapid crossing to the opposite bank. The crucial information can be analyzed on the human-machine interface, for quick and optimum decision-making. Finally, the reliability and high performance of the PeriSight solution have been proven on the field in extreme conditions.