1. M21 REMOTE SENSING CHEMICAL AGENT ALARM (RSCAAL)

2. CHARACTERISTICS OPERATIONAL TEMPERATURE RANGE:
-25 DEGREES F TO 120 DEGREES F
NUCLEAR HARDENED.
POWER REQUIREMENTS: 80W
DIMENSIONS: 19 in. X 13 in.
WEIGHT: 52 lbs.
INTERFACES WITH RS-232 DATA PORT.
UTILIZES PASSIVE INFRARED.

3. CAPABILITIES 68
DETECTS PERSISTENT SOME NERVE AND BLISTER CHEMICAL AGENTS.
DETECTS NON-PERSISTENT NERVE CHEMICAL AGENT.
CAN SCAN 60 DEGREE ARC FROM DETECTOR.
CAN DETECT CHEMICAL VAPOR AT LINE OF SITE FIVE KM OUT FROM DETECTOR.
SLAVABLE AND PORTABLE.
CAPABLE OF PINPOINTING CENTER MASS OF CHEMICAL STRIKE (IF TWO DETECTORS ARE USED).
CAN PROVIDE EARLY WARNING TO MANEUVER FORCES.

4. LIMITATIONS
CANNOT DETECT BLOOD AGENTS, BIOLOGICAL AGENTS, NUCLEAR RADIATION, OR LIQUID AGENTS THAT DO NOT PRODUCE A VAPOR.
IF NOT CORRECTLY SIGHTED, CANNOT DETERMINE CENTER MASS GRID OF STRIKE.
LASERS STOPPED BY TREES, BUSHES, AND OTHER MATERIALS.
CANNOT BE USED ON THE MOVE.
NOT REMOTE, MUST BE SLAVED TO VEHICLE.
TOO LARGE TO CARRY BY DISMOUNTED SOLDIERS.
INSECTICIDES, HALON, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES WILL CAUSE M21 FALSE ALARM.

5. HOW IT WORKS
WHILE STATIONARY, THE M21 IS SIGHTED IN BY ITS CREW SO THAT THE FIELDS OF VIEW ARE NOT INTERRUPTED. THE SEVEN INFRARED LASERS CREATE A 60 DEGREE ARC THAT SPANS OUT TO A DISTANCE OF FIVE KM. THE M21 VIEWS INFRARED ENERGY, PROCESSES THE ENERGY, AND COMPARES IT AGAINST KNOWN AGENT SPECTRA. WHEN DETECTION IS MADE, THE M21 WILL REACT AUDIBLY BY HORN THROUGH THE DETECTOR AND A M42 ALARM AND WILL ALSO REACT VISUALLY BY ILLUMINATING EITHER A BLISTER OR NERVE LIGHT ON THE DETECTOR.

6. EMPLOYMENT METHODS
Dismounted- M21 (RSCAAL) can be dismounted on a tripod and powered by connecting a 65 foot cable to the vehicle slave receptacle. The M21 can be tripod mounted on top of the vehicle if there is an unfavorable field of view at ground level.
Mounted- M21 RSCAAL does not have an inherent mounting capability on the Operation Desert Storm (ODS) FOX.

7. EMPLOYMENT TECHNIQUES
Area Technique- This technique is used to provide greater detection capability in large areas but cannot determine accurate locations of the contamination since M21 cannot be intersected. This method should be used if given more than one chemical NAI (Named Area of Interest).
Point Technique- This mission is typically conducted to ensure that time sensitive critical operations can be accomplished without unwarned encounters with chemical agent vapor clouds. These missions are of short duration (usually less than two hours), oriented on key terrain (ex. Choke points, bridges, road intersections), and should be employed in areas the enemy will use chemical weapons that are in direct contact with their direct fire weapon systems. Both Fox’s M21s should be oriented to triangulate on a target area. The crews will observe which of the seven windows is detecting the agent at both M21 locations and triangulate to find the center of mass of the contamination. This method allows the discovery of the accurate center mass of the contamination if the enemy employs it on the target being scanned. This method can only be used to observe one critical NAI at a time.

8. AREA TECHNIQUE
FOX 1 FOX 2
NAI
C0001

9. POINT TECHNIQUE FOX 2 FOX 1 NAI C0001
* USED TO DETERMINE CENTER OF MASS
FOX 2

10. CREW DRILL
1. Fox element uses best technique for movement utilizing dispersion and terrain to conceal forces while emplacing the Observation Post (OP) positions.
2. Begins movement to OP positions at least four hours to occupation or Mission, Enemy, Time, Troops, Terrain (METT-T).
3. Designate Start Points (SPs), Check Points (CPs), primary and alternate routes and Release Point (RP) for movement.
4. Allows security to clear OPs prior to occupation.
5. Maintains 100% security on OPs for 30 min. before setting up M21s.
6. Emplaces dismounted Listening Post/ Observation Post (LP/Ops) and security positions at surveillance position.
7. Foxes back into position. The driver mans the M240, VC and Operator 1 (OP1) set up and monitor the M21 and Operator 2 (OP2) mans the MMI (running) and monitors the radios.
8. Squad will monitor the Brigade Command net, Operational Controlled (OPCONED) Unit freq, and Platoon net.
9. Vehicle Commander (VCs) will have a map of NAIs with the acetate M21 range fans for both Foxes according to their azimuth and position on the ground.
10. Once contamination is discovered, assume Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) Level IV, both Foxes relay which M21 windows detect the agent and use the plotted range fans to triangulate and pinpoint the center mass of the contamination (6 digit grid).
11. When both Foxes agree to center mass of contamination, the senior VC contacts
OPCONED unit and Brigade Command with a “FLASH” message with center mass grid and type of agent.
12. Once reported, prepare for a marking mission or continue to monitor based on follow on mission given.
13. If compromised, a pre-determined emergency link-up point is designated and ordered to assume by senior VC.

11. M93A1 M93A1 FOX M21 MAST INSIDE M93A1 VC M21 MICAD DISPLAY
OP2 M21 MICAD DISPLAY

12. M93A1 INTERNAL SCHEMATIC

13. ISSUES M21 USED AS A REACTIVE DETECTOR.
M21 NOT BEING FOCUSED ON ONE CRITICAL NAI.
M21 BEING USED WITH FOXES TO DETECT NON-PERSISTENT CHEMICAL AGENTS.
SECURITY NEEDED FOR FOXES IF GIVEN M21 SURVEILLANCE MISSIONS FAR FORWARD OF FORWARD LINE OF TROOPS (FLOT).
M21 NOT BEING DISTRIBUTED TO OTHER RECON ASSETS.
FORCES BECOMING TOO RELIANT ON THE M21; FORGETTING M256 AND OTHER DETECTION EQUIPMENT.
ONCE FOXES ARE SPLIT UP, THE BRIGADE LOSES THE ABILITY TO TRIANGULATE THE CENTER MASS OF THE CHEMICAL STRIKE.

14. M21 REMOTE SENSING CHEMICAL AGENT ALARM (RSCAAL) ISSUES

15. M21 USED AS A REACTIVE TOOL
WITH MANY CHEMICAL AGENTS, (VX NERVE), ONLY A SMALL VAPOR CLOUD IS PRODUCED. UNLESS A M21 IS FOCUSED ON THE VX BEING EMPLOYED, THE M21 WILL NOT PICK IT UP . IF FOXES WITH M21s CHASE AROUND IMPACTING ARTILLERY THEY MIGHT MISS THE CONTAMINATION AND THE COMMANDER LOSES THE FOCUS ON HIS CRITICAL NAI WHILE THE FOXES ARE CHASING THE ARTILLERY.

16. M21s NOT FOCUSED ON CRITICAL NAIs
WHEN M21s ARE FOCUSED ON THE COMMANDER’S CRITICAL CHEMICAL NAI, THEY CAN BE TRIANGULATED TO FIND CENTER MASS OF THE CONTAMINATION. S-2s WILL OFTEN PLOT FIVE TO SIX CHEMICAL NAIs ON A BATTLEFIELD AND TASK TWO FOXES TO COVER ALL OF THEM WITH THEIR M21s. THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE AND INACCURATE. IF A CHEMICAL ROUND IMPACTS ON THE BATTLEFIELD AND AREA SURVEILLANCE IS BEING CONDUCTED BY THE M21s, THEY CANNOT GIVE A LOCATION OF THE CHEMICAL AGENT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT INTERSECTED. THE PROBLEM BEGINS WITH PROPER CHEMICAL COURSE OF ACTION ANALYSIS BY THE S-2 WHICH GIVES THE COMMANDER THE MOST LIKELY LOCATION OF THE PERSISTENT CHEMICAL ATTACK. A PERSISTENT CHEMICAL ATTACK IS FIRED BY THE ENEMY’S RAG OR DAG AND USUALLY NOT THROWN ALL OVER THE BATTLEFIELD. IT IS TACTICALLY FOCUSED TO SHAPE THE BATTLESPACE. COMMANDER’S MUST RESIST THE IMPULSE TO TASK FOXES AND M21s TO CHASE IMPACTING ARTILLERY. INSTEAD, THE COMMANDER MUST VERIFY WITH GROUND TROOPS WITH CAMS ETC AS TO THE EXISTANCE OF CHEMICAL AGENTS. THE S-2 MUST INTERCEPT UN-PROVEN CHEMICAL REPORTS FROM GROUND TROOPS, AND USE HIS COMMON SENSE AS TO WHERE HE BELIEVED THE AGENTS WOULD GO IN. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS A FOX AT NTC WAS SENT INTO AN ENEMY BP TO CHECK ON AN IMPACTING ARTILLERY ROUND. COMMON SENSE WOULD BE THAT AN ENEMY WOULD NOT THROW CHEMICAL AGENTS ON HIS OWN PRIMARY BATTLE POSITIONS.

17. M21s USED TO FIND NON-PERSISTENT CHEMICAL AGENTS
THE M21 CAN ONLY DETECT NON-PERSISTENT NERVE. NON-PERSISTENT NERVE IS USUALLY USED ON TROOPS TO DEGRADE THEIR COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS AND FORCE THEM INTO MOPP LEVEL FOUR. HAVING AN M21 FOCUS ON A POSSIBLE NON-PERSISTENT NERVE AGENT IS A WASTE OF A BRIGADE ASSET. WHEN THE NON-PERSISTENT AGENT IS EMPLOYED ON TROOPS, THEY WILL KNOW BEFORE THE M21 DOES THEREBY NEGATING THE EARLY WARNING CAPABILITY OF THE M21.

18. FOXES WITH M21s USED FAR FORWARD NEED SECURITY
WHEN FOXES ARE DEPLOYED WITH THE BDE R&S EFFORT, THEY ARE POSITIONED FAR FORWARD FOR THE BEST EARLY DETECTION. IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH MISSION, BOTH FOXES NEED SECURITY WITH THEM. FOXES ARE EQUIPED WITH M240 MACHINE GUNS (7.62) AND ARE UNABLE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM THE ENEMY’S COUNTER RECON EFFORT. MANY COMMANDERS ARE NOT WILLING TO PART WITH SECURITY AND THEREBY WILL ENDANGER THE RECON ASSETS.

19. M21s NOT BEING DISTRIBUTED TO OTHER RECON ASSETS
THE M21 IS AN EXELLENT TOOL FOR CHEMICAL EARLY WARNING FOR MANEUVER ELEMENTS AND SHOULD BE GIVEN TO OTHER SCOUT ELEMENTS. IF EACH 19D SCOUT PLATOON HAD ONE M21 TO TACTICALLY EMPLACE, IT COULD AUGMENT AND IMPROVE THE COVERAGE OF THE ENTIRE BATTLESPACE. TRADITIONAL SCOUT PLATOONS HAVE HAD THE MISSION TO CONDUCT NBC RECONNAISSANCE AND SHOULD BE EQUIPED WITH THIS TOOL.

20. MANEUVER FORCES BECOMING TOO RELIANT ON M21
WHEN THE BRIGADE HAS TWO M21s ON THE BATTLEFIELD THEY WILL OFTEN FORGET ABOUT THEIR M256 KITS, CAMS AND OTHER MTOE DETECTION EQUIPMENT AND TRY TO SEND FOXES TO CONFIRM OR DENY THE EXISTANCE OF CHEMICAL AGENTS ALL OVER THE BATTLEFIELD AND OVERLOAD THE TWO FOXES. OFTEN, THERE IS A UNIT AT THE LOCATION THAT CAN CONFIRM OR DENY CHEMICAL AGENTS FASTER THAN IT WOULD TAKE A FOX WITH AN M21 TO RESPOND TO THE REQUEST. IN ADDITION, THE M256 KIT IS ONE OF THE MOST ACCURATE TOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY FOR DETECTING CHEMICAL AGENTS AND CAN DETECT MANY MORE AGENTS THAN AN M21.

21. SPLITTING UP FOXES
OFTEN TIMES THE BRIGADE COMMANDER WILL SPLIT FOXES WITH M21s UP TO TWO TASK FORCES IN AN ATTEMPT TO ENSURE BOTH TASK FORCES HAVE DETECTION ABILITY. THE BCT COMMANDER IS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT ONE M21 CAN TELL HIM EXACT CENTER MASS LACATION OF A STRIKE. ONE M21 CANNOT TELL THE EXACT LOCATION OF AN ATTACK AND CAN ONLY CONDUCT AREA SURVEILLANCE. TWO M21s ARE NEEDED TO CONDUCT POINT SURVEILLANCE. IN ADDITION, ONE OF THE FOXES MIGHT BE IN A TASK FORCE AREA OF OPERATION THAT THE BRIGADE IS NOT EXPECTING AN ATTACK. M21s MUST BE EMPLOYED IN THE BCT AREA BASED ON THREAT RATHER THAN TF TASK ORGANIZATION.