WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81

In the area of reconnaissance technology, WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 carries out studies on air and space-based imagery intelligence (IMINT) focusing on “concepts and procedures”. The topic of research is the processing of information obtained from reconnaissance sensors in the optical and infrared ranges as well as radar.

Electronic warfare (EW) is of particular military importance. It comprises all measures related to the reconnaissance of enemy electromagnetic emissions and/or methods of disabling them with countermeasures. WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 is involved in all stages of the development, in-service use and procurement of EW systems.

Among other systems, the technical center studies radar and laser warning systems, signals intelligence systems and radio frequency counter-IEDImprovised Explosive Device systems (RF-C-IEDImprovised Explosive Device). WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 also evaluates measures to minimize the emissions of own systems to prevent jamming and reconnaissance of these systems.

In order to be able to fulfill its tasks, WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 has one of the largest shielded anechoic halls in Europe for the study of electromagnetic compatibility and electromagnetic effects. The EMCEuropean Medical Command Test Center of WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 is the central Bundeswehr point of contact in all matters of electromagnetic compatibility and electromagnetic effects.

WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 conducts a variety of experiments, tests, demonstrations and studies in order to create and optimize the network enabled operations capabilities of the Bundeswehr and in order to analyze and evaluate chains of effects.

ZINS makes a major contribution to this effort by providing knowledgeable experts and the infrastructure and the required technical equipment for all phases and aspects of the respective measures, as well as documentation and presentations.

The main tasks of the Command and Control Information Systems unit are providing development support to industry projects and testing the compatibility of national and international command and control information systems / command and weapons control systems with each other and the army communication system.

Support for the command and control process by transmitting the current reports, orders and situation pictures is provided at all command echelons and for all branches via LAN, WAN or radio. Interoperability tests serve to guarantee an effective command and control capability for multinational units in operations ranging from peace-keeping measures to warfare. Bundeswehr Technical Center 81 is the meeting venue for all nations participating in the Multilateral Interoperability Program (MIP).

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The ITInformationstechnik security branch (Bundeswehr ITInformationstechnik security test center) at WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 tests and evaluates ITInformationstechnik products and develops release and certification recommendations for the operation of classified hardware and software. WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 also operates an approved evaluation facility of the Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (Federal Office for Information Security) in this branch and evaluates ITInformationstechnik products that are subject to certification.

WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 also supports BAAINBwBundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr in the selection and development of ITInformationstechnik products for their projects.

The ITInformationstechnik security branch of WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 has the following tasks:

• Evaluation of ITInformationstechnik security products subject to certification IAW Common Criteria
• Investigation of technical weak points
• Advice and support for projects
• Market surveys, testing and evaluation of ITInformationstechnik products.
• Research and technology in the areas of networks, software and hardware vulnerabilities, penetration tests, app verification
• Work in international bodies

Military command and control processes and administrative applications require a secure transmission of voice and data between the Bundeswehr communication systems in a national or international environment. This requires coupling different tactical and strategic networks including jamming-resistant radio systems. WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 has to implement this process in a cost-effective way with modern, mostly commercially available technology. The tactical networks used by crisis reaction forces in remote areas of operation are linked via secure satellite links.

WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 conducts technology studies in this field and supports the implementation of new technologies and interoperability demonstrations by testing and validation based on reference systems.

The organizational unit "Weapon System Technology, Fire Control Technology & Testing Technology" works on cross-branch defense technical tasks concerning large-scale military systems in the remit of WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81.

It carries out studies and demonstrations on weapon systems including fire control technology and integrated testing systems. Apart from that, this unit of the technical center coordinates relevant aspects of the branches EMCEuropean Medical Command, Navigation, Communication and Command and Control Information systems.

The navigation systems comprise GPSGlobal Positioning System satellite navigation receivers, purely inertial systems and hybrid systems that use both types of navigation. WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 has a measurement vehicle for conducting measurements on the inertial systems in which the values obtained from test specimens can be compared directly with a laser gyro reference system while on the move. At WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81, satellite navigation systems are tested with a GPSGlobal Positioning System simulator which can emulate encrypted military P(Y)-code signals. Apart from satellite signals, the corresponding inertial signals are generated for the hybrid systems. Therefore the simulator is the only simulator of its kind in Germany.

WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 also has the important task of providing technical advice, measurements and integrated verification in the field of radar and identification technology.

In the field of primary radar technology WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 mainly works with ground-based radar systems and radar sensors on flying platforms. In the field of secondary radar technology (Identification Friend or Foe, IFFidentification friend or foe) WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 is in charge of all Bundeswehr interrogators and transponders and conducts on-site measurements with the IFFidentification friend or foe reference station. 

The field of technology “radar sensors and signal processing” is also located here. This is where research and technology studies on topics such as “multi-functional radar systems”, “passive radar” and “millimeter wave technology” are conducted.

WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 supports government institutions and industry in the evaluation of foreign defense materiel. For this purpose the technical center participates in national and international technical working groups, it commissions and supports studies and evaluates technologies and development trends in foreign defense materiel.

In the area of homing technology the technical center tests and evaluates seeker systems with different technologies (radar, infrared, laser, multisensor). Sensors (receivers) and signal processing (processors) are tested and simulations which integrate aerodynamics are conducted.

WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 also tests foreign defense materiel from this range of applications and is active in the field of research and technology.

In the GNSS simulator at WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 a satellite navigation receiver is moved along a virtual testing track using simulated satellite signals. Navigational accuracy is derived from the deviation of the calculated position from the reference position.

Simulated test drives, unlike real test drives, can be reproduced very accurately. This is the only method that can be used to find out how different parameters such as dynamics or reception interferences due to masking and faults in the satellite system influence position accuracy.

One of the largest anechoic chambers in Europe is part of the test center for electromagnetic compatibility (EMCEuropean Medical Command Test Center) at WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81. The chamber is 41 x 16 x 14 meters large and has a 10 x 10 meters entrance gate as well as a turntable lift with a diameter of 9 meters and a lifting capacity of 60 tons. A second anechoic chamber (10 x 7 x 4 meters) is available for smaller test items. The EMCEuropean Medical Command Test Center at WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 is also equipped with a laboratory for lightning protection and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and an 11 x 8 x 6 meters mode stirring chamber (MSCMunich Security Conference).

The technical equipment of the EMCEuropean Medical Command Test Center at WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 also comprises power amplifiers with a range of 500 W to 10 kW for maximum field strengths of 600 V/m continuous wave (CW) and/or a pulse of 2500 V/m, mobile and stationary measuring sites for emission measurements in the range of 16 Hz to 40 GHz and interference immunity tests between 30 kHz and 40 GHz, electrostatic discharge test systems (ESD) and surge current generators up to 100 kA in order to simulate the effects of lightning.

The WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle’s EMCEuropean Medical Command Test Center is the central point of contact of the Bundeswehr for electromagnetic compatibility (EMCEuropean Medical Command) and electromagnetic effects (EME), electrical safety and lightning protection. It conducts compliance demonstrations in the area of electromagnetic effects on components, equipment and complete systems in accordance with national and international standards (VGVerteidigungsgeräte standards, STANAGStandardisierungsübereinkommen der NATO-Vertragsstaaten über die Anwendung standardisierter Verfahren oder ähnlicher Ausrüstung, AECTP, MIL-STD, etc.) and demonstrates the safety of ammunition via EMCEuropean Medical Command testing.

It also provides advice and support in national and international projects and conducts application-oriented studies in the field of EME. This involves the exploitation of sources of strong electromagnetic radiation (HPEM) for Counter-IEDImprovised Explosive Device measures (C-IEDImprovised Explosive Device), counter-UASUnmanned Aerial System or car stop.

The radar homing head simulator at WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 uses a horn antenna to show a target that is to be engaged on a target wall. The target is measured by the homing head and the calculated error signal is transmitted to the autopilot’s simulation model in the computer in order to calculate the tracking movement of the motion simulator.

The radar homing head simulator at the technical center is equipped with a three-axis motion simulator, a radar target wall, an optional infrared target generator and a signal, environment and jamming generator. The horn antennae can be moved horizontally, vertically and around their roll axis.

Hardware-in-the-loop (HILHeeresinstandsetzungslogistik) simulations of optical and optoelectronic components and systems are conducted at the target simulation dome of WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81. The test objects are exposed to realistic scenarios and targets covering different spectral ranges from UVB to long-wave IRInfrarot. Simulators with three or six degrees of freedom are available for motion simulation.

The target simulation dome at the technical center has an external diameter of about 46 meters, which makes it one of the largest modular cantilevered dome structures in the world. In its interior there is a projection cupola with a diameter of 40 meters. The unique surface of the projection cupola is not a Lambertian reflector but has a radiation pattern which mainly reflects projections to the center of the cupola.

The ZINS at WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 81 conducts experiments in the fields of concept development & experimentation (CD&EConcept Development and Experimentation), network enabled operations and distributed simulation.

It has several laboratories and auditoriums, internal and external networking facilities and one auditorium with 70 workstations and a 7.8 x 2.6 meters media screen in order to flexibly visualize the experiments.