(Image via KWESST Micro Systems Inc.)
Military spending around the globe has reached the trillions, yet the men and women who maintain public safety around the world head into dangerous situations unaware of the full extent of the threats they face, but with cutting-edge new technology, they can be better forewarned ....
In mid-March 2021,
KWESST Micro Systems Inc. (TSX-V: KWE, OTCQB: KWEMF, Forum) announced that it had successfully achieved an important milestone with a weapons system under contract for a key military customer.
What the Company did, was to integrate its TASCS (Tactical Awareness Situational Control System) IFM (Integrated Fires Module) for the 81mm Mortar Fire Control System into the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) -- the pre-eminent battlefield management system for NATO countries. ATAK is an Android smartphone geospatial infrastructure and military situation awareness app which allows for precision targeting, surrounding land formation intelligence, situational awareness, navigation, and data sharing. It has a growing base of 250,000 military and civilian users across numerous public safety agencies and US partner nations as well as at least fifteen United States Department of Defense programs.
Now KWESST is ready to advance this segment of its business to the next phase of the contract, which involves live-fire trials at various US military bases.
In
a media release for investors speaking on this news, KWESST’s Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Jeff MacLeod added that TASCS is designed to integrate into any battlefield management application.
“However, ATAK is the foremost and ubiquitous NATO battlefield management application, therefore we view the successful integration of TASCS applications into ATAK as key to widespread adoption of our TASCS system and are pleased to have achieved this milestone event.”
Now let’s back up a bit to see how we arrived here.
KWESST’s TASCS IFM is a software package that can be integrated or added on to small weapons systems that are often carried by soldiers that enable precise networked surveillance and targeting on a wide range of technical platforms.
How the Company describes the technology, is by stating that it has the potential to provide targets “beyond traditional line-of-sight” targeting systems.
This means that soldiers could identify targets they cannot even see directly. The TASCS IFM software can be used as an add-on for drones as well as counter-drone original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Operators can use TASCS IFM to “mark” areas or persons of interest which can then be shared with other reconnaissance technology, such as drones or scoping imagery, to confirm the areas or persons of interest.
In October 2020, the Company completed the second of two phases for a US military customer, which showed that its TASCS IFM had better accuracy and quicker response times on indirect fire systems, including mortars, improving, most importantly, a soldier’s chances of survival, as well as operational effectiveness.
The TASCS IFM Fire Control System for the 81mm mortar is a world-first in digitizing the function of a mortar team, from the identification of the target to the aiming of the mortar, according to the Company. It can reduce the time it takes to engage adversaries while also increasing the precision of mortar fire.
With a world market estimated by the Company at several hundred million dollars, TASCS IFM has similar applications across many other firing platforms beyond just the 81mm mortar.
CEO MacLeod added that the ability to use its TASCS IFM system as a toolset to integrate tactical applications into ATAK has attracted attention from other military customers and OEMs.
“We're discovering that many potential customers require ATAK integration help,” he said. “We have already begun assisting some, and we are currently processing about a dozen other inbound inquiries for assistance, both domestic and international. It appears that this has the potential to become a separate business line unto itself, with recurring revenue.”
CEO MacLeod leads a seasoned management team that is backing KWESST, each member has a long track record of success with unique and deep experience bringing companies to public markets, including experience in the global defense and security market.
A recent success story from the Company saw it upgraded to “USA Partner” with SAMSUNG Electronics America, which will allow the Company to employ its SAMSUNG S20TE smartphone in its production version of the TASCS in addition to its IFM for networked targeting on soldiers’ weapons.
Investors should keep track of this Company with deeper due diligence into its offerings, especially in the near-term as it brings this tech to its very mature network of international agents and representatives who are eager to bring these products to market.
In our upcoming third articles featuring the recent developments at KWESST Micro Systems Inc., we will take a deeper look into its GreyGhost project – a drone made to knock other drones out of the sky.
To find out more about this Company and its operations and projects, visit
kwesst.com.
FULL DISCLOSURE: This is a paid article produced by Stockhouse Publishing.