SDE welcomes the opportunity to again provide technical and engineering capabilities to support the Dstl Delivering Dismounted Effect (DDE) Research Programme.

DDE is a four-year Dstl programme. It covers various work packages including capability, architectures, targeting, effects, signature and disruptive technologies. SDE is a member of an SEA-led consortium drawn from industry and academia which will research future technologies for dismounted soldiers.

SDE has been appointed as the Lethality Managers for the SEA-led consortium for Year 2 of the DDE Programme. DDE builds upon successful work undertaken by SDE and others under the Dstl Future Dismounted Close Combat (FDCC) programme. As Lethality Managers, SDE will take a leading role in defining and delivering lethality-related work packages.

The key deliverables for this element of the programme will be the development of a requirements-led Weapon Technology Demonstrator Programme (TDP) to determine the benefits of providing data and power onboard an Individual Weapon and a Concept Demonstration Programme (CDP) to identify the benefits of a range of conceptual capability interventions.

The outcomes of the TDP will increase understanding of the potential performance improvements afforded by integrating networked systems on the weapon. In addition, it will assist with understanding and defining the interfaces between the weapon sub-system and wider soldier system architecture.

The CDP will evaluate a wide range of capability interventions at varying stages of maturity to allow assessment of the potential benefits that may be offered to improve the delivery of lethal effect by dismounted soldiers.