According to Cole Engineering, the devices will provide "real-time orientation and positioning status to support simulated engagements during live exercises at the Army Combat Training Centers," Defense One reported Saturday.
"The device will interface through a network, providing its location and orientation on the training battlefield. When the soldier engages the aircraft with it, it will transmit that information to the database, which will also be tracking the aircraft flying in the air," said Tim Greeff, CEO of Virginia-based National Security Technology Acceleration (NSTXL), a company that develops defense capabilities and will be assisting Cole Engineering in the invention of the prototype.
The purpose of the device is to improve how US army pilots respond to shoulder-fired missile threats. Shoulder-launched missiles are explosive-carrying, self-propelled projectiles that are small enough to be carried and fired by one person.
The prototype may be used across other military branches once the prototype is successfully tested by the Army, Defense One reported Saturday.
"This is a vital project for the Army and we are honored to be selected by the service," Cole Engineering Services manager John Surdu said in a recent statement.
"We are confident that our solution will boost training and improve the ability of the Army to combat enemy threats, and we are excited to be able to pioneer next-generation capabilities during this effort," the statement added.
Earlier this month, the Army also gave US defense contractor and industrial corporation Raytheon $10 million to design a 100-kilowatt laser weapons system that could be mounted onto the Army's Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles, a series of different vehicles built from the same chassis for various logistical needs.
According to a July 3 Raytheon announcement, the "high energy laser tactical vehicle demonstration" program will be designed for neutralizing rockets, artillery shells and mortar fire.
"Multi-spectral targeting sensors, fiber-combined lasers, power and thermal subsystems are incorporated in a single package," Roy Azevedo, vice president of intelligence, surveillance and surveillance systems at Raytheon, said in the news release.
After the design phase, the Army plans to pick one company for a $130 million contract next year to continue developing the laser system, Executive Biz reported earlier this month.