The Integrated Soldier System Project (ISSP) is Canada's program to equip dismounted soldiers with state-of-the-art equipment, using a combination of commercial, off-the-shelf technologies (

COTS COTS may refer to: * Commercial off-the-shelf, products that are commercially available and can be bought "as is" * Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, a NASA program for delivery to the International Space Station by private companies * ...

) and current-issue military gear. The equipment is designed to improve command execution,

target acquisition Target acquisition is the detection and identification of the location of a target in sufficient detail to permit the effective employment of lethal and non-lethal means. The term is used for a broad area of applications. A "target" here is an e ...

and

situational awareness Situational awareness or situation awareness, often abbreviated as SA is the understanding of an environment, its elements, and how it changes with respect to time or other factors. It is also defined as the perception of the elements in the envi ...

by: * Providing communications, command and control at the soldier level * Integrating

small arms A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions). The first firearms originate ...

with high-tech equipment * Promoting a view of the individual soldier as a system rather than as a segment of a larger force * Providing different variants for low level commanders, assaulters and supporters

Background

Canada's desire for a Soldier System dates back to November 1988 and closely follows efforts in many

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...

countries. The first research effort, called Integrated Protective Clothing and Equipment (IPCE), was initiated in 1995, but then was cancelled due to its high cost and its failure to meet the majority of requirements. Ongoing operations in the mid 1990s led to the creation of the Clothe the Soldier (CTS) Project, which directly addressed the NATO Soldier System Capability areas of Survivability and Sustainability. The Canadian Disruptive Pattern was implemented during the Clothe Soldier Project (CTS).

Integrated Soldier System Project

The Integrated Soldier System Project (ISSP) is intended to provide an integrated suite of equipment that may include weapons and electronic devices. The $310 million project program will provide the

Canadian Army The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also re ...

with new equipment, not only to allow troops to track each other as they move throughout the battlefield, but to feed communication and targeting information to their Battle Management Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (BMC4I) systems. The project is expected to unfold over the next ten years. The Department of National Defence confirmed that approximately 17,000 integrated soldier systems would be bought by 2011. The ISSP will address the remaining NATO Soldier System capabilities of Lethality, Mobility and Survivability, while balancing the baseline needs.

Small Arms Replacement Project

In October 2007, the

Department of National Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...

approved the Small Arms Replacement Project II (SARP II), which will deliver integrated, direct fire, multi-effect, portable anti-personnel and anti-material capability through weapons, munitions, fire control systems, training systems and logistic support. The cost for SARP II exceeds $1 Billion for the 2012-2022 period.

References

{{Future soldier programmes Proposed military equipment Future soldier programs Canadian Army