Troops find new uses for weapon

Boeing upgrades Avenger based on soldiers' feedback

Friday, August 18, 2006

By SHELBY G. SPIRES

Times Aerospace Writer shelby.spires@htimes.com

Boeing Co. defense engineers in Huntsville are taking a weapon originally designed to shoot down enemy aircraft and changing it into a tool to protect American soldiers in combat in Iraq.

The Avenger air defense system, manufactured at Boeing's facility near Huntsville International Airport, has been upgraded with armor and weapons that allow it not only to shoot down aircraft but also guard convoys and seek out roadside bombs. It first entered the Pentagon's armory in 1988 and costs range from about $1 million to $2 million, said Linda James, Boeing spokeswoman in Huntsville.

Troops have been finding new uses for the Avenger system, said Debra L. Rub-Zenko, Boeing vice president for Integrated Missile Defense.

"They have a need, and they'll fill that need with whatever is on hand," Rub-Zenko said during a break at the Space Missile Defense Conference at the Von Braun Center. "Soldiers are using the Avenger system in cities and for convoy protection riding along with other vehicles - not really what the system was originally designed for, but it works."

Also, Rub-Zenko said, soldiers in Iraq have found that the Avenger's infrared sensors designed to seek out enemy aircraft in the sky "can be used to detect the heat patterns coming off improvised explosive devices."

For the basic Avenger, Boeing takes eight Stinger anti-aircraft missiles in two pods and mates them on a turret placed on the back of a Humvee. This produces a weapon that can move with and defend military units from aircraft in combat. The Stinger program is managed by the Army at Redstone Arsenal.

Shortly after the initial ground war in Iraq, around the fall of 2003, Boeing solicited ideas from combat veterans to see how well the Avenger units were performing, Rub-Zenko said.

"We are constantly seeing what soldiers want, and we try to respond to that," she said.

Soldiers told Boeing engineers what they needed: a turret that turns in a complete circle - originally, the Avenger turret was turned only in a half-circle - a better .50-caliber gun and more armor.

Boeing listened and by March 2005 Boeing engineers in Huntsville made the turret full-turning and moved the .50-caliber machine gun to improve its ability to site targets. Also, they added light armor to the vehicle's cab.

"The machine gun had to be moved because, at some angles, it could have fired straight into the cab, and we didn't want that," said Phil Hillman, program manager for Avenger in Huntsville.

Local engineers then went to Kuwait and modified eight Avengers, essentially changing them into what Boeing now calls the Agile Multi Role Weapons System. These went into service with the Army's 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Rub-Zenko said. She said Boeing spent about $1 million modifying the Avenger.

Further improvements are sought for the Avenger, Hillman said. Boeing plans to mount Javelin missiles and rockets in pods on the side, move the gunner position from the turret into the armored cab and add armor in key areas, he said.

The improved Avengers can still be used to shoot down enemy aircraft and can be commanded by remote control, Hillman said.

"The unit is removable and can be taken away from the Avenger," Hillman said. "That way troops can still use this system and be in a protected area like a bunker or the other side of a dirt hill."



Troops find new uses for weapon Boeing upgrades Avenger based on soldiers' feedback Friday, August 18, 2006 By SHELBY G. SPIRES Times Aerospace Writer shelby.spires@htimes.com Boeing Co. defense engineers in Huntsville are taking a weapon originally designed to shoot down enemy aircraft and changing it into a tool to protect American soldiers in combat in Iraq. The Avenger air defense system, manufactured at Boeing's facility near Huntsville International Airport, has been upgraded with armor and weapons that allow it not only to shoot down aircraft but also guard convoys and seek out roadside bombs. It first entered the Pentagon's armory in 1988 and costs range from about $1 million to $2 million, said Linda James, Boeing spokeswoman in Huntsville. Troops have been finding new uses for the Avenger system, said Debra L. Rub-Zenko, Boeing vice president for Integrated Missile Defense. "They have a need, and they'll fill that need with whatever is on hand," Rub-Zenko said during a break at the Space Missile Defense Conference at the Von Braun Center. "Soldiers are using the Avenger system in cities and for convoy protection riding along with other vehicles - not really what the system was originally designed for, but it works." Also, Rub-Zenko said, soldiers in Iraq have found that the Avenger's infrared sensors designed to seek out enemy aircraft in the sky "can be used to detect the heat patterns coming off improvised explosive devices." For the basic Avenger, Boeing takes eight Stinger anti-aircraft missiles in two pods and mates them on a turret placed on the back of a Humvee. This produces a weapon that can move with and defend military units from aircraft in combat. The Stinger program is managed by the Army at Redstone Arsenal. Shortly after the initial ground war in Iraq, around the fall of 2003, Boeing solicited ideas from combat veterans to see how well the Avenger units were performing, Rub-Zenko said. "We are constantly seeing what soldiers want, and we try to respond to that," she said. Soldiers told Boeing engineers what they needed: a turret that turns in a complete circle - originally, the Avenger turret was turned only in a half-circle - a better .50-caliber gun and more armor. Boeing listened and by March 2005 Boeing engineers in Huntsville made the turret full-turning and moved the .50-caliber machine gun to improve its ability to site targets. Also, they added light armor to the vehicle's cab. "The machine gun had to be moved because, at some angles, it could have fired straight into the cab, and we didn't want that," said Phil Hillman, program manager for Avenger in Huntsville. Local engineers then went to Kuwait and modified eight Avengers, essentially changing them into what Boeing now calls the Agile Multi Role Weapons System. These went into service with the Army's 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Rub-Zenko said. She said Boeing spent about $1 million modifying the Avenger. Further improvements are sought for the Avenger, Hillman said. Boeing plans to mount Javelin missiles and rockets in pods on the side, move the gunner position from the turret into the armored cab and add armor in key areas, he said. The improved Avengers can still be used to shoot down enemy aircraft and can be commanded by remote control, Hillman said. "The unit is removable and can be taken away from the Avenger," Hillman said. "That way troops can still use this system and be in a protected area like a bunker or the other side of a dirt hill." © 2006 The Huntsville Times © 2006 al.com All Rights Reserved.