ARMY P ROGRAMS

Spider XM7 Network Command Munition

Executive Summary
• The Army will use Spider instead of persistent landmines to
comply with the requirements of the 2004 National Landmine
Policy.
• The Army continued corrective actions to address Spider
system and training deficiencies following the FOT&E
conducted in May 2010.
• The Army conducted a Spider Limited User Test (LUT) as
part of the Army’s Network Integration Evaluation at Fort
Bliss, Texas, and White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico,
in June 2011. The LUT focused on demonstrating progress
towards meeting Munition Control Unit (MCU) reliability
requirements and demonstrating MCU reuse improvements.
The program office will use the results to support a request for
additional low-rate initial production (LRIP).
• The program achieved Initial Operational Capability in
June 2011 with the fielding of Spider to the 4th Brigade
Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort • All employments use “man-in-the-loop” control to engage
Richardson, Alaska. targets.
• DOT&E will report on the operational effectiveness, • The Army intends to employ Spider in all environments and in
suitability, and survivability of the Spider system in calendar all terrains.
year 2013 following a third FOT&E. Based on analysis • Spider incorporates self-destructing and self-deactivating
conducted to date, Spider has demonstrated effectiveness technologies to reduce residual risks to non-combatants.
and lethality when operated with efficient operator-observer • The Army achieved Initial Operational Capability with Spider
communications and clearly defined Rules of Engagement. in June 2011 with fielding to the 4th Brigade Combat Team
Spider has demonstrated poor suitability and is difficult to (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.
sustain in an operational environment.
Mission
System Maneuver or engineer units employ Spider to establish a force
• The Army intends to use Spider as a landmine alternative to protection obstacle or as a stand-alone force protection system to
satisfy the anti-personnel munition requirements outlined in accomplish the following missions:
the 2004 National Landmine Policy, which directs DoD to: • Protect the Force
- End use of persistent landmines after 2010 • Shape the Battlefield
- Incorporate self-destructing and self-deactivating • Provide Early Warning
technologies in alternatives to current persistent landmines • Delay and Attrite Enemy Forces
• A Spider munition field includes:
- Up to 63 MCUs, each housing up to six miniature grenade Major Contractors
launchers or munition adapter modules for remote • Command and Control hardware and software: Textron
electrical and non-electrical firing capabilities Defense Systems – Wilmington, Massachusetts
- A remote control station, used by the operator to maintain • Munition Control Unit and Miniature Grenade
“man-in-the-loop” control of all munitions in a field Launcher: Alliant-Techsystems, Advanced Weapons
- A communications relay device known as a “repeater” for Division – Plymouth, Minnesota
use in difficult terrain or at extended ranges

Activity
• Based on demonstrated performance in the Spider FOT&E • The Army continued corrective actions to address Spider
in May 2010, the Spider full-rate production decision was deficiencies with system complexity and training following the
delayed from FY11 to FY13. FOT&E conducted in May 2010.

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• In May 2011, DOT&E approved changes to the April 2010 - During the May 2010 FOT&E, Spider did not meet MCU
Spider Test and Evaluation Master Plan. The updates reliability and reuse requirements, attributable to system
addressed follow-on testing to demonstrate corrective actions complexity and ineffective training provided by the
in an operationally realistic environment. program office.
• The Army conducted a LUT as part of the Army’s Network - In June 2011, a unit composed of Engineer and Infantry
Integration Evaluation at Fort Bliss, Texas, and White Sands Soldiers demonstrated in a LUT that software and training
Missile Range, New Mexico, in June 2011. The LUT focused enhancements made following the May 2010 FOT&E
on demonstrating progress toward meeting MCU reliability increased the likelihood of achieving MCU reliability and
requirements and reuse improvements. reuse requirements.
• In June 2011, the Army conducted a Spider Force • The Spider system requires three different types of
Development Test at Fort Bliss, Texas. Soldiers employed and rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries when
detonated non-lethal Spider munitions during the test. commercial or vehicle power is not available; battery
• The Army continued fielding Spider systems to deployed and management increases a unit’s logistical burden. During
non-deployed units providing Home Station, Combat Training a 60-hour operation, a platoon-size unit employing a 20
Center, and in-theater training as part of the fielding package. MCU Spider munition field with a repeater may use up to 86
• The Army and DOT&E initiated planning for the third FOT&E non‑rechargeable batteries, costing $2,400.
in 1QFY13 to support a full-rate production decision. • Spider skills are perishable and require periodic sustainment
• The Spider Milestone Decision Authority is expected to training; this increases a unit’s training burden.
approve the production of additional LRIP systems to support • Current software changes to achieve MCU reliability and reuse
continued fielding prior to a full-rate production decision requirements are incomplete. Increased efforts are needed to
scheduled for 2QFY13. prevent future impacts to operational suitability.
• Further testing focused on reducing system complexity in the
Assessment hands of Soldiers is needed to avoid impacts to operational
• Spider provides enhanced capabilities not previously available suitability.
with anti-personnel land munition systems:
- “Man-in-the-Loop” positive control of both lethal and Recommendations
non-lethal munitions • Status of Previous Recommendations. The Army initiated
- Remote electrical and non-electrical firing capabilities for actions to address previous recommendations.
munitions and demolitions to a range of 4 kilometers • FY11 Recommendations. The Army should:
- Capability to fire a single munition or multiple munitions at 1. Complete development and implementation of software
the same time changes to achieve MCU reliability and reuse requirements
- Capability to collect situational awareness information by eliminating the possibility of sterilization during
through tripline activation by threat personnel emplacement and recovery operations.
• Spider has demonstrated effectiveness and lethality: 2. Complete development and implementation of hardware
- An Engineer company successfully employed, operated, and software changes to reduce system complexity in the
and achieved lethal effects during the May 2010 FOT&E. hands of Soldiers and to improve the efficiency of the
- An Engineer platoon validated proposed tactics, sustainment training program.
techniques, and procedures for the employment of 3. Plan and execute a comprehensive, DOT&E-approved,
non‑lethal munitions and successfully employed non-lethal FOT&E to demonstrate Spider system effectiveness and
munitions during the June 2011 Force Development Test. suitability in support of an Army full-rate production
• Spider has demonstrated poor suitability. Sustaining the decision.
system in an operational environment is difficult:

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