Battlefield Combat Identification System

The development of BCIS began after the US Army awarded a contract to TRW Inc. of Cleveland in 1993. ==History==

Fratricide concerns began during the Persian Gulf War, when 35 American troops were killed by friendly fire. During this period, soldiers often used low-tech methods to communicate, such as painting inverted "Vs" on allied vehicles or waving red-lensed flashlights. Army requirements for a combat identification system were recognized by the DoD's Joint Requirements Oversight Council in March 1992. ==Operation==

Combat vehicles carried BCIS transmitters and receivers that sent pulses of energy to one another if the vehicles engaged. The encrypted signal identified vehicles as a friend or foe. The BCIS platform included an interrogator subassembly, a transponder subassembly, an antenna, a processor, display unit, and sight ring indicators. ==Research==

In 1995, Army Research Laboratory scientists conducted a study to improve the auditory signals of BCIS, changing notifications from pure tones to auditory icons, such as a doorbell for engaged allied vehicles. The study focused on ergonomic design of signals for quicker user guidance during emergency conditions. == References ==