Army-2024 – VNII Signal, unveils the operational Planshet-A system installed on the Atlet armoured combat vehicle
The Signal Research Institute (VNII Signal, part of the High-Precision Systems holding, Rostec corporation) has developed the Planshet-A (Tablet-A) artillery command and control (C2) system or KSAU (kompleks sredstv avtomatizatsii upravleniya in Russian) based on the Atlete armoured combat vehicle (ACV)
At previous Army exhibitions this system was exhibited as a prototype undergoing testing, however at Army-2024 the system presented is the one in service with the Russian Army, which is using it in the Ukrainian theatre of military operations to provide firing data to artillery and multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS).
As reported by the representative of VNII Signal, the Planshet-A KSAU is designed to provide automated preparation of fire, fire control, and execution of fire missions by self-propelled and towed artillery, mortar units and MLRS equipped with a fire control system, as well as indirect fire effectors that do not have standard automation equipment. The complex has the ability to control the fire of artillery units equipped with self-propelled howitzers such as Pion, Gvozdika, Akatsiya, Giatsint-S and Msta-S, the Nona-SVK self-propelled artillery mortar, the MLRS Grad, the heavy MLRS Solntsepek, D-20, D-30, Giatsint-B and Msta-B towed howitzers, as well as Vasilek, BM-37, Nona-M1, 2B24, Podnos, PM-120, 2B11 mortars, and the Tulip self-propelled mortar. The Planshet-A KSAU can be adapted to artillery, mortars and MLRS control systems of foreign design. This was shown not only in the High Precision Systems holding company stand, but also in that of Rosoboronexport, which offers it to foreign customers.
The Planshet-A was exhibited in the version designed to be fitted in the Atlet ACV, but at customer’s request the system can be installed on a different vehicle. The system equipment can also be reconfigured and completed depending on the customer’s needs.
The Planshet-A KSAU ensures the automated operation many assignments: division to battery commander; head of intelligence at division headquarters; control platoon commander; senior battery officer; commanders of guns, mortars and MLRS combat vehicles.
The system is compatible with most Russian and foreign communication equipment due to the wide range of operating frequencies of radios included in the KSAU kit. It provides stable and secure communications with a high degree of information protection from interception or suppression by electronic warfare.
According to Rosoboronexport, the advantages of the Planshet-A system are: high mobility and rapid deployment; increased autonomy of operation; flexible architecture and the ability to reconfigure the workspace; the use of advanced communication equipment, including mesh networks; long communication range; a wide range of interfaced technical means; video information transmitted in real time to the commander’s workplace from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); interfacing with automated MLRS guidance and fire control systems; duration of control cycle when preparing concentrated fire against unanticipated target (at battalion/battery level) does not exceed 30-50 seconds. Continuous operating time with no loss in performance is 10 hours.
Photo by N. Morris at Army 2024
