Symphony

SYMPHONY
RADIO CONTROLLED IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE DEFEAT SYSTEM

SERVING FREEDOM DEFENDING ALLIES

I am often asked if the IED threat can be removed from the battlefield, and my answer is, ‘No.’ In its most fundamental form, the IED is a lethal ambush, and men have been ambushing their enemies for thousands of years.

US Lieutenant General Thomas Metz, USA, Director, JIEDDO

Summary

The Symphony product line is the only counter-IED systems of its kind approved by the U.S. government for foreign military sale to allied, coalition and partner nations. More than 4,500 Block 10 and 20 variant systems support U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt and other areas of conflict.

Capability

Agile architecture to counter evolving threat
Designed, tested, and field-proven durability
Approved for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) theaters
Current combat-proven performance
Superior in-field support and depot reach-back
Easily updateable capability for maximum effectiveness, security and response
Small, vehicle mounted footprint
Designed for rugged tactical environments

Objective

Give partner and coalition nations the confidence they need to meet their mission requirements by equipping them with an IED defeat system that is critical yet supportable.

Concept of Operation

Counter IED systems development is almost always of the “quick-reaction” type—that is, the time from when a need is realized to when a completed product, or technique, is available is measured in weeks, not months or years.

Antennas: Antennas are arguably as important as the anti-RCIED hardware itself
Threat load: The threat load is the technique employed by the hardware to interfere with the IED communication link
Hardware: The hardware is the jammer itself and all of its associated material components
Software/firmware: Software and firmware are the hardware controllers

Evolution & History

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have become an increasingly popular weapon of choice for insurgents and small armed forces over the past few decades. A favorite type of IED used in U.S. coalition theaters of operation today is the RF or radio-controlled (RC) command link. These IEDs are inexpensive, easy to build or acquire, and difficult to trace and can be triggered from long distances. To mitigate the risk of a RCIED attack, electronic jamming devices are utilized to interrupt the communications between a remote control and the RCIED trigger.