SHArc: Soldier Worn Power & Data

Thales’ Soldier Worn Power & Data (SWPD) innovative solution: SHArc

Defence
Land
Soldier

Delivering a truly effective SWPD solution requires two crucial elements: a hub to control the “Power & Data” and a packaged cable & connector assembly to manage the “Soldier Worn” aspect.

SHArc is Thales’ innovative SWPD solution: Soldier Harness Architecture. In priority order, the name itself highlights the three major considerations that were designed into SHArc:

Soldier

Understanding their collective and individual tasks and needs
Harness

Recognising this is part of their load and integrate it seamlessly
Architecture

Providing an open system conforming with relevant power & data standards and be capable of meeting future demands.

Thales vs the challenge of integration and powering the future

The art of “Soldier System Engineering” is recognising that every user needs to be given systems that align with exactly what they need whilst being flexible enough to allow future changes as well as being the most cost-effective (where “cost” covers weight, power, bulk, cognitive load, as well as finance). This is how Thales have approached the Soldier Worn Power and Data solution.

The rapid and ever-increasing expansion of new technology in the commercial world is providing the means to offer very significant enhancements in the capabilities of the dismounted soldier, especially in the information domain. This is commonly referred to as the “Future Soldier System”, but there is a power requirement cost. To this end technology offers major benefits but also brings additional challenges in the dismounted domain. The Internet of Things, Digital Identity, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomy all benefit from data sharing whilst contributing to power management requirements. A smart battery that can send updates about its status, linked to an individual or unit, and utilising at various points along the chain of communications AI to support logistics, resupply, and operational planning (based on GPS locations as shared on a data enabled network) where options are presented to commanders is a new reality that can be brought into being by the adoption of a soldier system which is both power and data sharing.

Thales have a vision for the future of soldiering.  We call it Collaborative Combat. Imagine a world where commanders at every level have access to power status information for all relevant users presented in an intuitive way which provides them with an instant understanding of the limitations each user/sub-unit will face from diminishing power and all the options for modifying consumption or redistributing power. Where data flows from attached devices through the soldier system, and out through software defined radios to inform commanders of real-time locations, observations, and threats. That is our vision and it starts with a Soldier Worn Power and Data solution. It starts with the Thales SHArc

Find out more about Collaborative Combat

Thales understands that combat soldiers have an extremely difficult job and that they are not 'platforms' onto which we can pile technology. Whilst technology can bring decisive advantage on the battlefield it must also be applied intelligently and the burden (cognitive or physical) must be overmatched by the benefit. Thales believe that for a Soldier System to be adopted today it must be minimalistic; it must also be flexible otherwise it will have no application to the infinitely flexible roles and activities of the Soldier themselves.

Soldier Harness Architecture

Enables the integration of Soldier-worn devices, allowing them to seamlessly exchange data with each other
Intelligenlty distributes & manages power, so devices can be powered by a centralized power architecture.
SHArc load carriage allows the soldier to change dress states rapidly without disconnecting all devices.
GSA-compliant, Open Architecture, Cyber secure, modular, low power consumption – reducing the physical and cognitive burden on the user.