Timescales
The project aims to deploy a whole suite of digitized weapon platforms by 2008. First major trials of the FIST system were completed on Salisbury Plain in January, 2005. In these trials at the Salisbury Plain training area. 70 soldiers were equipped with the prototype FIST technology including GPS, communications and weapon sights and compared to the effectiveness of 70 conventionally equipped soldiers. A further FIST V2 trial was scheduled for 2006.
35,000 sets of kit are expected to be bought and issued between 2015 and 2020. This equipment is designed to bring the British infantryman up to standards and link with new technology currently employed, including the new underslung grenade launcher for the SA80 and the deployed Bowman communications network. It is not intended that every soldier be equipped with FIST: instead unit commanders will request FIST kits as necessary and so they can be tailored to the situation and mission aims.
As well as linking into the new technology for the soldier it is designed to link in with other new communications including Cormorant and Talon as well at the UK UAV project called Watchkeeper.
Read more about this topic: Future Integrated Soldier Technology