Integrated Soldier System Project

ISSP is Canada's program to equip dismounted soldiers with state of the art equipment. ISSP means Integrated Soldier System Project which will use a combination of commercial, off-the-shelf technologies (COTS) and current-issue military gear and equipment designed to improve Command Execution, Target Acquisition and Situational Awareness by:

• Providing communications and command and control at the soldier level;
• Integrating small arms with high-tech equipment;
• View the individual soldier as a system rather than as a segment of a larger force.
• Provide different variants for low level commanders, assaulters and supporters

Background

Canada's desire for a Soldier Systems dates back to Nov 1988 and closely follows efforts in many NATO countries. The first research effort, called Integrated Protective Clothing and Equipment (IPCE) Technology Demonstration was initiated in 1995 but the was cancelled, due to high systems cost and failure to meet the majority of the requirements. Ongoing operations in the mid 1990s, lead to the creation of the Clothe the Soldier (CTS) Project which directly addressed the NATO Soldier System Capability areas of Survivability and Sustainability. The Canadian Disruptive Pattern was a part of ongoing research and implemented during the Clothe Soldier Project (CTS).

Integrated Soldier System Project

The Integrated Soldier System Project (ISSP) renamed from IPCE, will provide the soldier with an integrated suite of equipment that may include weapons and electronic devices. The $310 million dollars project program would provide the Canadian Forces new equipments not only to allow troops to track each other as they move throughout the battlefield, but feed communications and targeting information into their C4I systems. The project is expected to unfold over the next 10 years. The Department of National Defence as confirmed about 7,000 integrated soldier systems would be bought by 2011.. ISSP will address the remaining NATO Soldier System capabilities of Lethality, Mobility and C4I while balancing the baseline needs.

Small Arms Replacement Project

In October 2007, Department of National Defence approved the Identification of the Small Arms Replacement Project II (SARP II). The SARP II will deliver a modern networked integrated direct fire, multi-effect, portable anti-personnel and anti-material capability that includes weapons, fire control, munitions, training systems and logistic support. The cost for SARP II exceeds $1 Billion for the 2012-2022 period.