Book a demo to experience next-generation situational awareness firsthand at AUSA 2025 on October 13-15, Hall B, Booth 2154.
The AFV Visibility Gap
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) are built to protect crews in the harshest conditions. But their design – heavy armor, limited viewing ports, and closed-hatch operation – creates blind spots that put crews at risk. Traditional periscopes and optics cannot provide a seamless picture of the battlefield, so soldiers must contend with a fragmented understanding of their surroundings. In fast-moving combat, this visibility gap can cause catastrophic loss.
The 360° 3D Situational Awareness Concept
Today, 360° 3D situational awareness technology is closing this gap. These systems use advanced optics, panoramic imaging, and AI-driven analysis to provide AFV crews with a continuous, real-time view of their environment. The battlefield is reconstructed into a “see-through” visual layer. This empowers operators to make faster, better-informed decisions, without needing to expose themselves to danger by opening hatches.
Multi-Spectral Sensor Arrays
360° 3D situational awareness systems are built on multi-spectral sensor arrays. These combine daylight cameras, low-light imagers, and thermal/IR detectors to provide full coverage in any environment.
For example, thermal cameras can detect hidden snipers in urban warfare in darkened rooms, while day cameras provide clarity in open streets and alleys. In deserts, where heat distortion can obscure vision, IR sensors cut through thermal issues to identify approaching vehicles or UAVs. Low-light sensors help AFVs maintain visibility despite snow glare or limited ambient light in cold or foggy conditions.
Advanced image-stitching software merges these inputs into a seamless panoramic feed, ensuring no battlefield area is left unmonitored. AFV crews gain total awareness of every angle and every threat vector.
AI and Data Fusion
Raw imagery alone can overwhelm operators. The power of modern military situational awareness comes from AI-driven data fusion, which converts visual streams into actionable intelligence.
For example, when an enemy vehicle appears in a cluttered environment, AI analytics can automatically detect, classify, and track it in real time. A civilian pickup truck might be flagged as “non-threatening,” while a camouflaged armored personnel carrier would be highlighted as “high risk.” In another example, if multiple infantry units are moving through foliage at night, the system can detect unusual movement patterns and alert the crew before the threat becomes visible to the naked eye.
This reduces the cognitive load for AFV operators, allowing them to act decisively. They no longer have to scan dozens of camera feeds; instead, crews receive real-time alerts that focus their attention on genuine threats, whether it’s an IED emplacement on a roadside or a drone swarm overhead.
HMDs and Conformal View
The evolution from static monitors to Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) has completely changed how crews process battlefield data. Instead of glancing down at multiple screens, soldiers can “see through” the armor of their vehicle, thanks to conformal, see-through overlays projected directly in their field of vision.
For example, an AFV commander wearing an HMD can look left and instantly see a stitched, real-time 3D view of the battlefield, complete with AI-generated markers highlighting friendly and hostile forces. HMDs can display a 360° virtual bubble around the vehicle in convoys, making it easier to spot approaching motorbikes or drones attempting to breach formation.
In training exercises, crews using HMDs have demonstrated significantly faster target acquisition times, since they can orient themselves intuitively. This technology turns the armored vehicle into a mobile observation post, empowering soldiers with full military situational awareness while remaining fully protected inside.
Mission Impact and Survivability
For AFV commanders and crews, the mission impact is clear. Enhanced 360° 3D situational awareness leads to:
- Faster threat detection and quicker response times
- Safe, closed-hatch operations that increase soldier survivability
- Simple navigation even in complex terrain
- Reduced cognitive strain on decision-makers, enabling clearer decisions under fire
Next-Generation Situational Awareness Systems
Maris-Tech is at the forefront of this revolution, delivering technologies with 360° 3D situational awareness for modern armored forces. Its flagship Diamond Ultra platform is built around ruggedized, low-SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) design principles, ensuring maximum capability without compromising the tight space and power limitations of AFVs.
Diamond Ultra is field-ready, making it easy to integrate into both new-build AFVs and retrofits of existing fleets.
Key capabilities include:
- Multi-channel video capture, encoding, and streaming
- Real-time AI analytics powered by Hailo-8 acceleration
- Ultra-low latency processing for mission-critical applications
- Seamless integration with existing vehicle systems
These capabilities allow Diamond Ultra to reduce cognitive load, speed up reaction times, and ensure safe closed-hatch operation. In combat terms, this means commanders can detect ambushes before they happen, drivers can navigate complex terrain, and gunners can acquire targets in seconds rather than minutes.
360° 3D Situational Awareness at a Glance
| Capability | How It Works | Mission Benefit | Maris-Tech Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 360° 3D Situational Awareness | Panoramic imaging from multi-spectral sensors (day + thermal/IR) | Designed to eliminate blind spots and enables safe closed-hatch operation | Compact, ruggedized systems designed for AFV integration |
| AI-Powered Threat Detection | Real-time video analytics classify and track threats automatically | Faster reaction times, reduced cognitive load | Onboard Hailo-8 acceleration for real-time detection and tracking |
| Multi-Spectral Sensor Arrays | Fusion of daylight, low-light, and thermal inputs | Clear vision in all environments, day or night | Field-proven image stitching and sensor integration |
| Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) | Conformal “see-through” visualization of external environment | Intuitive awareness and natural orientation inside AFVs | Lightweight, low-latency video feed integration |
| Mission Survivability | Integrated system for continuous monitoring and rapid alerts | Protects crews while improving operational efficiency | Reliable, low-SWaP modules for defense-related deployments |
Maris-Tech is proud to support defense forces around the world with solutions that deliver improved visibility, faster decisions, and safer missions. To see Maris-Tech’s situational awareness systems in action, book your demo at AUSA 2025, Hall B, Booth 2154.
Frequently Asked Questions
360° 3D situational awareness refers to a system that provides full-surround (all-around) visibility and three-dimensional environmental awareness for armored fighting vehicles (AFVs), enabling crews to detect threats or obstacles from every direction.
360° 3D situational awareness is important because AFVs typically have heavy armor and limited viewing ports, which restricts crew visibility. A 360° 3D situational awareness solution allows safe, closed-hatch operations while enhancing threat detection and response, which improves crew survivability.
Military situational awareness solutions combine multiple sensing and processing capabilities, including multi-spectral sensor arrays, AI-driven processing and data fusion, and HMDs that project real-time visual intelligence directly into the crew’s line of sight. Together, these technologies give operators a continuous, unified picture of their surroundings, improving threat detection and decision-making.
It transforms operations by moving from restricted-view, closed-hatch, or limited-vision models to an approach where crews have continuous awareness of their surroundings in three dimensions and all directions.
Maris-Tech develops advanced real-time video intelligence and edge-processing platforms designed to improve visibility and threat detection in armored vehicles. These systems are built to deliver low-latency, high-quality video and situational intelligence, supporting mission-critical awareness in challenging battlefield environments.