DOHA: A vehicle which can 'sweat' to improve stealth, an agile robot that can take over dangerous jobs and video surveillance technology to spot potential troublemakers in a crowd, were few of the many ideas presented to students at the Qatar Leadership Academy (QLA) by BAE Systems at a workshop on the future of the battlefield, held in QLA premises in Al Khor last week.
The Future Protected Vehicle programme, conducted by a BAE Systems led team, highlights new technologies and concepts which can be used to boost the effectiveness of lightweight armoured vehicles. The concepts and ideas resulting from the study were presented to QLA students by Hisham Awad, Programme Manager for Emerging Technologies at BAE Systems, marking the third in a series of lectures organised by BAE Systems for QLA's students.
BAE Systems accessed a broad range of expertise during the Future Protected Vehicle study encompassing academic institutions, small and medium enterprise and dedicated research organisations. A total of 567 technologies and 244 vehicle concepts were investigated following engagement with 35 organisations.
From these the team developed seven concept vehicles, each highlighting technologies which could support that particular specialisation. Around 50 technologies were highlighted as being suitable for immediate exploitation.
Based on initial concepts from BAE Systems, during the workshops, the QLA students were asked to design their vision of a futuristic tank. The design had to be for a ground vehicle for two which can fit into a cargo plane and operate in all weather conditions including the difficult terrain of an Arabian desert.
"BAE Systems approach during the Future Protected Vehicle study was highly inclusive and challenged traditional methods by involving domain experts and free thinkers. For the study, we engaged a number of 'experts' ranging from renowned academics and researchers to primary school students, who were invited to participate in design classes to stimulate interest in engineering as a career," said Michael Bentinck, BAE Vice President - Qatar.
"Through showcasing the results of the study to students at the QLA we hope to inspire young Qataris to think creatively and demonstrate first-hand the transformative power of a single idea, with the students designing a number of exciting and innovative armoured vehicles during the workshop," he said.
"Our boys were once again engaged in a terrific group activity organised by the BAE Systems presenters. Cadets in all grades created new designs for BAE Systems' Future Protected Vehicle programme with catchy names like 'Seeker', 'Spinner', 'Challenger 3', 'Eagle Eyes' and 'The Overload'. The formula of explanation, followed by group work and then closing the session with cadet presentations is a winner. Qatar Leadership Academy appreciates and values its ongoing collaboration with BAE Systems because it helps our students make the connection between the classroom and real world applications," said George Hopkins, Head of Student Affairs at the Qatar Leadership Academy.
© The Peninsula 2011
