British Army to Increase Lethality With ASGARD
A new and pioneering digital targeting web named ASGARD has been showcased and unveiled following successful trials with British Army in Estonia while on an exercise on NATO’s Eastern Flank. The ASGARD command and control system has been reported to enable soldiers to rapidly locate and strike at targets across wider ranges than has been possible before. Allowing troops to make faster decisions in the battle space, ASGARD utilises A.I and secure communications which seeks to save time during combat situations.
A statement released by the UK Ministry of Defence, on Monday July 21, outlines that the system will increase the Army’s lethality tenfold over the next decade. Combining a mixture of weapon systems, surveillance, automated technology, digital connections and data analysis. Giving the British Army a wider digital targeting web, which is being backed by more than £1 billion in funding from the UK Government. It is hoped this new system will see the British Army lead the way in how NATO utilises technology during ground operations if needed in the future. Chief of the General Staff, Sir Roy Walker explained:
‘Project Asgard proves we can do things differently. It’s not just a pathfinder for transformation; it’s a transformation in how we find, fund, and fight with cutting-edge capabilities. We are particularly proud of the collaboration between tacticians and technicians, between Defence and Industry, and the support of and to small and medium enterprises and jobs across the UK.’
ASGARD is made up of 3 key features which introduces a trio of new ways to fight when using the system:
- A dismounted data system for use at company level and below. This vastly enhances voice and data communication at the tactical edge
- The introduction of the DART 250 One Way Effector. This munition enables the targeting of enemy infrastructure three times further than the UK’s current land-based deep fires rockets
- A mission support network to accelerate what is called the digital targeting or ‘kill’ chain
ASGARD is an iterative effort with further additions to the systems structure and capabilities planned. In the meantime it was successfully deployed during its trial phase during NATO exercise Hedgehog in Estonia in May, Major General Indrek Sirel, Commander of the Estonian Division on the exercise remarked on the deployment of ASGARD:
‘I was really impressed with the speed of the delivery of the concept, because literally a year ago that was just ideas. I saw how eager soldiers were to learn the new equipment and how much the introduction of elements of project Asgard already have improved the performance of the Brigade and contributed to the division being more efficient and more lethal.’