In U.S. Army Airborne, Air Assault, Light, Ranger and Special Forces units, the armored HMMWV is the ONLY vehicle-sized firepower available to them excepting the Wiesel tracked Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) wisely being used by the 75th Ranger Regiment in light of their urban war experiences in Somalia. This is a sad and un-necessary state of affairs since airdroppable, swimming 11-ton M113A3 tracked AFVs are plentiful and are so easy to maintain, even cash-strapped National Guard units use them constantly. Until U.S. Army light forces have their force structure fixed, the HMMWV must be made more effective as an armored weapons carrier. The destruction of HMMWVs by mines/small arms fire in Somalia has led to better armor versions though a gunshield for the exposed gunner needs to be fielded by the Army, not just USAF Security Police M1116 HMMWVs. ALL ARMY VEHICLES MUST BE ARMED. There are now new M197/M6 pedestal mounts that every M988 cargo HMMWV could utilize to mount a light or medium machine gun. But the Serb capture of HMMWV scouts exposes that even armed and armored HMMWVs do need an internal intercom system; here is how we get one NOW without "no money" and other obstacles getting in the way of force improvements.

INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

1. Field Phone to helmet?
The way to do this is by connecting the Field phone to the outside of the PASGT Kevlar(r) helmet using its camouflage band. Turn the field phone upside down so the ear piece extends down below the rim of the helmet so you can hear from it. Keep the camouflage band over the field phone clip by 100 mph taping over it so it doesn't get caught or snag.

Also 100 mph OD green tape cover the data plate on the TA-1. Route the rubber cord of the field-phone under the camouflage band,

100 mph tape to the helmet top center and then tape to the helmet rear between the helmet band's cateyes.

The Kevlar(r) helmet's camouflage band should be secured to the helmet beforehand with either 2 x 9" lengths of gutted 550 parachute cord or the Ranger Joe's "Turtle straps(r)". Ranger Joe's International [325 Farr Road, Columbus, Ga 31907 1-800 247-4541 FAX: (706) 682-8840] has a specially made set of "turtle straps" that can secure the helmet camou band that can be obtained, depicted below.

Take a 20" (24" if you include hook length) bungee cord and hook it under the left/right holes at the base of the field phone clip and run it into the nearest helmet cover center slot (cut slightly for the bungee cord hook to pass)

across the top to the other side where you hook it under the helmet inner suspension band.

When you hear a call or want to make a call,

pull down on the field phone, stretching the bungee cord so its under the Kevlar(r) helmet for your ear or mouth to receive/send communications.

When finished, return the phone under the helmet band, with the bungee cord retracting it back into position.

When you want to talk, move the field phone so its mouthpiece is in front of your mouth and squeeze the buzzer a couple of times to get the attention of your crew members below. If they are constantly monitoring the intercom, the buzzer will not be necessary and just press the talk button to communicate. The buzzer might be used for coded signals, too: 1 bring =stop, 2 rings = go etc. etc. The final step is to camouflage the entire helmet with cut burlap strips.

Wire to other parts of the vehicle
Take a long piece of field phone wire and measure it so it can reach from the gunner down inside the HMMWV to the vehicle commander in the right front seat. 100 mph or duct tape the wire to the floor of the vehicle to minimize tangling. Have the wire become free again just before the two front seats. By running down the back of the Gunner and in the center axis of the turret, the wire will not get in the way of the free 360 degree rotation of the turret. The Gunner and the Commander will talk by field phone because the Driver can be directed by the Commander since they sit side-by-side. However, in the case of the TOW HMMWV, the Driver may be intercom-connected so the 3rd Soldier can be free to crawl back to hand TOW missiles up to the Gunner. If all 3 men are to be intercom connected, use a longer piece of wire and use the "T" splice technique. The Gunner's wire could also be routed to a battery-powered TA-312 field phone so there would be more "juice" flowing through for clearer communications. The Vehicle Commander would have to use the phone from the TA-312 connected to his helmet or hold it up to his ear for continuous commo.

HMMWV mounted units will have to experiment with the field phone intercom arrangement that works best for them. If all else fails, keep the field phones by your side and secure them with a bungee cord if the helmet mounting is not desired. If some object because of appearances, they need to remember that FUNCTION is more important than form. "Form must follow function" not vice a versa.

2. Install a Vehicle Intercom System

Obviously, the BEST solution for an intercom system for the HUMMER is to use the VIC-1 system currently in use with the M113's. I have seen many of the CVC helmets at local Army surplus stores and system still inside vehicles sent to the Range as targets! It would take about 2 hours to convert each vehicle to the system, and standard modifications would have to be determined. The system also lets everyone use and monitor the radio. In fact, there is a HMMWV intercom system identical to that of the M113. You wouldn't believe it but the Army does not encourage its installation and use because you can't hear other noise when wearing a CVC. The safety nazis feel it to be a safety issue (someone somewhere might someday get hurt by using it, so we obviously can't have the equipment) The OPFOR BRDM VISMODS(HMMWVs) at Ft Irwin all have the system, and it works great. A lot of times the vehicle Commander and Driver will wear it even when the roof hatch is closed and no guy is outside on the .50 cal. In addition you can hear the radio when someone calls instead of the loud motor, or rattling truck chassis.

Another way to achieve intercom capability would be to get a CVC helmet(s) and connect to the HMMWV radio inside for the vehicle Commander, and use a small AN/PRC-126 radio on the LBE with handset on the helmet of the Gunner for inter-vehicle communications. Any radio with two handset jacks can have a CVC helmet fitted. The latest CVC helmets have ballistic protective top pieces. The radio handset would be clipped under the chinstrap of the Gunner for monitoring and talking, and he could still hear outside noises if the "safety nazis" protest. An elastic boot blousing band works well to keep the handset secure underneath the earpiece of the PASGT Kevlar helmet.

NAPCO Electronics sells improved solid-state VIC-1 intercom systems:

http://www.napcointer.com/vic-1.html

Another option would be to use 2 x AN/PRC-126 radios for both the vehicle commander AND the Gunner using the handset under the helmet technique. Use the absolute smallest black rubber antenna on the 126s to minimize radiation of waves beyond the vehicle.

The field phone to helmet and radio handset to helmet technique preserve outside hearing if safety experts are opposed to CVC helmets used by HMMWV crews. 3. The new SQUAD INTERCOM radio, the answer?

This may be the answer to the HMMWV commo woes while retaining outside hearing to appease the "safety nazis".

The intra-squad radio (or intercom)is a commercial product made by ICOM America. It is a VHF hand held radio with a headset (speaker and boom mic) that plugs into the radio via a standard two prong large/small stereo type headset jack. The headset is compatible with PASGT helmet as it wraps around the back of the head and over the ears.

Its had had inquiries from aeromedical units thinking it could be used for aircrewmen-to ground crewmen and the marines have also inquired about its use among their HMMWV crews. For the most part it comes down to what type of helmets do you wear and do you have a requirement for the intercoms to patch into existing vehicle radios. Since the CVC helmet has an integral headset, this is the first problem if CVC helmets are used by the crews you have in mind. The CVC helmet has a single large plug for the mic and speaker which is not compatible with the radio, but the HEADSET could be made compatible to the vehicle J-box.

Second problem is if your concept includes trying to patch into existing radios. This intercom is VHF (136-160 MHz) and non-secure. The aeromedical folks never were able to figure out how to get their aircraft radios to operate on the same freq as the intercom. The Soldier Intercom works well for its intended purpose - dismounted infantrymen talking among themselves within a squad, wearing Kevlar PASGT helmets.

So how do the Dismount Infantry Squad/Team Leaders and members hear what is going on the intercom?

4. Radio handset to the Junction Box?

Problem is vehicle noise forces user to press into your ear under your helmet (needs to be on for safety as vehicle bumps around). Good point is that the handset is easily disconnected from the ear and is readily available to units. 5. H-251 Headset

Has ear muffs to dampen noise and give good reception, downside is that its impossible to wear underneath your PASGT helmet, so you remove the helmet--a safety risk---and lose time on ramp exit returning your PASGT Kevlar helmet to your head.

6. External Speaker Box

Attaching an external speaker box inside works to help the other dismounting infantry hear what is going on when engine/track noise is low. Standard practice on later-model BFVs.

7. ACAPS/CAPS headsets

The ACAPS/CAPS headset can be worn under the Kevlar helmet to give us the best of both worlds. The question is why have BFV Drivers, Gunners, and BCs wear CVCs and have a Kevlar helmet cluttering up the vehicle if with ACAPS just one helmet--the better protected PASGT can be used?

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EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

BRADLEY FIGHTING VEHICLE/M113A3 FIELD PHONES: T/I PHONES FOR OFFENSE, HOT LOOPS FOR STEALTHY DEFENSE

An oft-overlooked capability of the M113A3 and M2/M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) is that they both have terminal connections outside their hull rear for field phones.

A close up is below:

With the advent of the turbine-engine M1 Abrams-series main Battle Tank, infantry are unable to follow in the wake of their tanks as a moving armored shield due to the engine's extremely hot exhaust. Before the Abrams, the M60-series tank could be followed in an urban setting (the world is rapidly urbanizing) or wherever enemy fire was intense and you could communicate with the tank crew with an external tank/infantry (T/I) phone. Now, we have to use a radio to communicate with our tanks, and this creates unwanted electromagnetic transmissions which can reveal our presence to an enemy with direction-finding equipment, which can lead to jamming and even destructive fires adjusted onto our positions. Sometimes dismount infantry simply lacks a SINCGAR frequency-hopping radio to communicate with their AFV; they have unsecure AN/PRC-126 FM radios which the AFV crew is too busy to crack open their CVC helmets to operate their own PRC-126 or -77 FM radio in order to talk to dismount infantry. Thus, the whole purpose of the vehicle--to deliver a dismount maneuver infantry element is handicapped with a "security-guard-for-tanks" mentality.

In the place of MBTs, we can use BFVs and M113A3s as moving shields, especially if we attach applique' armor like the A2/3 model BFV has to the M113A3 which does have the mounting provisions. The BFV is a part of the Immediate Ready Company (IRC) assigned to the 82d Airborne division for forced-entry operations, though the M113A3 could be airdropped in the first echelon of the Airborne assault if they were supplied to them, when they are needed the most to overcome enemy resistance. The M1064A3 120mm heavy mortar variant would solve the majority of the 82d's firepower problems created when their organic M551 Sheridan light tank battalion was retired and the M8 Armored Gun System cancelled.

1. Use the TA-1 Field Phone to make an expedient T/I phone

To communicate with these vehicles without them having to stop and open a rear door or lower their ramps, or use a radio, the TA-1 field phone can be connected to their outside terminals to act as T/I phones.

For the BFV, run the outside field phone and its wire into the right rear storage box. When a Soldier needs to access the T/I phone, he opens the box and pulls out the TA-1 to talk. For the M113A3, route the wire to the right over the rear ramp roof and bungee cord the phone to the side using a hull tie-down slot.

For the M113A3, the internal wire is routed from the internal terminal posts, along the hull wall (tape to wall) to the Track Commander's (TC) hatch in the same manner as with the HMMWV Gunner's turret.

Its more difficult with the BFV because its a power-operated turret. The BFV has an amplifier which the field phone wires can connect to so the Bradley Commander (BC) and Gunner can continue to wear their CVC helmets and hear field phones as well as radio nets and their driver. The problem is that the amplifier is IN THE TURRET!

Thus, if you run the wire from the inside of the hull through the interior opening of the BFV turret, the turret door will have to remain open and couldn't turn. This is a tactical liability. It might be ok in the defense if the BC/Gunner know to pull out the wire as soon as the turret needs to traverse.

One solution is to stop the interior wire at the right rear seat position and have the Platoon leader's RTO monitor a field phone there. He would relay the message by headeset intercom of the dismounted infantry from the outside to the Platoon Leader in the turret where the BFV's guns or TOW missiles need to be aimed/fired at. Its important to have the T/I intercom capability in event radios fail to work and in close fights as experienced in cities. Sometimes the best way to describe a target is in plain speech not possible over a radio net requiring prowords and phrases.

In the defense, its important to conserve the AFV's batteries and to not have to turn on engines which gives away our position to the enemy. The M113A3 has no vehicle FLIR, so use hand-held battery-operated IR devices for night surveillance. The BFV has an Integrated Sight Unit (ISU) with Forward Looking Infared (FLIR) that is an important battlefield capability but can quickly drain the vehicle's batteries if the engine is off. The solution is a QUIET diesel auxiliary power unit (APU) in the rear turret bustle rack, but this is an institutional fix requiring $$$$$. Another way would be to turn everything off except intercom/radios and be as quiet as possible running the ISU in shifts by designated BFVs. At stand-to, all BFVs turn their engines on at the same time to charge all batteries.

Because the amplifier is in the turret, the wire run into it would hinder its traverse. Instead, have the BC move back to the inside field phone and monitor his BFVs and dismounts in outside fighting positions using a "Hot Loop". A hot loop is a single piece of wire strunbg to every defensive position which cuts a single strand "T" splice from it to hook themselves into the net. All field phones can hear simultaneously what is going on with the others. If we connected phone to phone, we could only talk to whoever the line feeds directly into.

The TC/BC should be free to move to and from the highest perch on his AFV to walking the line where his men are to attain "situational awareness" of the battlefield. If he must move out quickly, a message sent to the hot loop gets everyone mounted inside their AFVs and begin moving again. If done cleverly, the wire used to make a hot loop can remain on its spool; upon word to remount, the wire can be reeled up by turning the spool's hand crank. Probably stopping at the PL's BFV/M113A3, where it is stored and unreeled again by PL's direction.

2. Use a H-251 or ACAPS/CAPS headset as a T/I phone

We discovered at JRTC that you can run a headset from the intercom J-box out a firing port and have it in the BFV sponson box so a dismount infantry leader can communicate to the BC/Gunner to get fire missions to support maneuver in the close fight--often in cities (MOUT). The early model BFVs had side firing ports and the later models have 2 firing ports in the rear ramp. If you set-up a T/I phone on a A2 or later BFV, insure that the headset hangs on the outside of the ramp where the Firing Port Weapon ball is so if the ramp is lowered the cord will not get in the way. The Combat Door should be used as the cord will stretch from the firing port to the J-box. If the ramp is lowered, the headset cable will have to be disconnected first unless a CVC helmet is used which has a quick-release that would pull apart. Pictures to follow as we perfect the M2A2/3 BFV T/I technique.