Jet Propulsion Laboratory (U.S.). R&AD Construction and Support Services Procurement Section 626.

The U.S. Army Material Development and Readiness Command (DARCOM) sponsored the Simulation of Area Weapons Effects (SAWE) task. SAWE is concerned with the development of field training devices to simulate the effects of indirect fire, mines, nuclear/biological/chemical (NBC) and communications disruption. JPL's involvement started in 1982. They were involved with the manufacturing and testing of the SAWE Indirect Fire Simulation (IFS), Player Detection Device (PDD), Mine Effects Simulator (MES) and Tactical Engagement Simulation (TES).

The Army started the actual work in early 1981 with emphasis on training devices for indirect fire simulation. The first efforts determined the best technological approach. Proof of concept hardware was then developed, followed by a controlled field test in May 1983. The results of the test indicated that, with certain improvements, the concept showed good potential for use as a training device. Work on a mine effects simulator, included both analytical studies and demonstration hardware, also was performed at the proof of concept level. Similar activities for two chemical training devices, a mask and a persistent chemical agent simulate, had also been conducted.

Indirect Fire Simulation (IFS) training took place at Fort Irwin, Texas. During training through battle simulation in war games various devices produced effects near troops which would approximate the real thing (e.g., mines going off underfoot, explosions going off overhead, gas canisters exploding within lethal proximity). In one case this effects system used a launcher of projectiles, which in turn burst in the air with a sound/light explosion above troop heads. A wearable detector on each soldier using aural/photo sensors would read-out whether the effect had gone off close enough to be lethal.

In October, 1984 the Army contracted JPL to making 12 launchers, 1500 detectors (one for each person) and 100,000 projectiles. In 1985, JPL's Assistant Laboratory Director of Defense and Civil Programs Jack James halted the delivery of projectiles (which were to be exploded above people) as a matter of policy so as not possibly cause troop casualties. He felt it was inconsistant for JPL, as a research and development laboratory, to manufacture products that could be better made by industry, which in turn would bear the liability of performance. However, the Army insisted JPL had agreed to make 100,000 projectiles but James was committed "to do everything possible to constrain JPL from involvement" in large quantity production. To replace JPL's lack of cooperation in making projectiles, James emphasized finishing the artillery simulation aspect of SAWE at the expense of mines and Nuclear Biological Chemical effects simulation.

However, by January 1988, the Army halted procurement and development of the SAWE-IFS when JPL could not solve problems with dud projectiles.

From the description of Simulation of Area Weapons Effects Project Collection, 1982-1989. (Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives). WorldCat record id: 733100881