An airborne electro-optical laser sensor designed to detect minefields has demonstrated the ability to detect simulated improvised explosive devices. The Airborne Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Minefield Detection System (ASTAMIDS) developed by Northrop Grumman, demonstrated this capability during an Army evaluation of the new system. The system was flown on the MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aerial system.

ASTAMIDS combines multi-spectral electro-optical sensors employing different sensing methods, including texture analysis and change detection, to spot recently buried objects suspected as mines or IEDs. In addition to its primary counter-mine and counter-IED mission ASTAMIDS also provides reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition capability. The system’s laser can also designate targets for laser guided munitions. Under the Army evaluation the system successfully designated targets for three Hellfire missiles.

Through a recent test series conducted in September 2010, ASTAMIDS flew 12 missions on an Army UH-1 and the Northrop Grumman owned MQ-8B unmanned vehicle. These flight tests evaluated the system’s C-IED nadir step stare, off-nadir road following and large area precision mapping capabilities.

These capabilities were supported by the new ‘ASTAMIDS Ground Exploitation Station’ (AGES), integrated with the systems’ ground control segment for the test. AGES processed streaming telemetry data obtained from the airborne sensor, enabling operators to identify target locations in near real-time.

The core of the system is the gimbaled, lightweight, multi-spectral, electro-optical and infrared imaging sensor designed to be flown on both manned and unmanned aircraft. The airborne payload weighs about 36 kg (80 pounds). Integrated with AGES processors and software, the system detects, locates and identifies ground targets, minefields, obstacles and IEDs, determines ranges to ground targets, and, as proven in the tests, designates targets for attack by laser-guided munitions.

According to the U.S. Army PM Close Combat Systems, “ASTAMIDS will give Army Brigade Combat Teams unprecedented situational awareness and target designation capabilities.” The near-real time response of the system is critical for counter-IED missions, as it provides warfighters with actionable intelligence minutes after a specific area is analyzed.

“These tests proved we’ve achieved our goal with ASTAMIDS – we can identify ground threats and deliver targeting-quality data to adjacent warfighters to destroy the threats and do that in near real time” said Dan Chang, Northrop Grumman vice president of Maritime and Tactical Systems.

Our second daily coverage of the Latrun event focus on electro-optical devices shown here. Among many familiar systems, Defense Update has picked several new systems and developers, that have made their first steps in bringing their innovative EO systems to the market. Some are brand new, demonstrated as prototypes and proof of concept demonstrators while others are already fielded and operational, primarily with special operations units.

The MPRS system developed by the IMI comprises a sight for day and night engagement, multi-switch control module mounted on the rifle and the ammunition - an airburst (AB) and time-delay (TD) grenade, self-destruct 40mm grenades. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense-update

IMI's Time Delay and Airburst 40mm rounds are designed for the MPRS, offering the required lethality

Rattler is a miniature laser designator developed by Elbit Systems El-Op. It can be embedded into small multi-sensor payloads or used independently by forward units. Designed for applications where small form factor is of critical importance, Rattler can designate targets for all types of laser guided munitions and will excel in applications where laser guided munitions are fired in close proximity to friendly forces. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense-Update.

IMI displayed the integrated weapon station and active protection system, actual technology demonstrator employing elements from the Iron Fist, high performance pedestal, moving both the weapon station and the APS. The installation also includes the Sentinel radar from Rada, and the 'soft-kill'

Girit (Badger) is a sensor optimized to detect and locate the position of hostile gunshots in open or urban area. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense-Update

IDF Ground Forces Command displayed at Latron the new Coral target acquisition system, matched with Azimuth pedestal offering high precision targeting employing Azimuth's north finding apparatus. In areas where strong magnetic fields or significant magnetic deviation occurs, the north finding apparatus provides significantly better targeting accuracy. Photo: Noam Eshel, defense-Update

Elbit Systems is offering its small, combat sight for riflemen and sharpshooters. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense-Update

Ethan, hand-held thermal camera designed for medium range surveillance; HHTI generates high quality images on the darkest nights, even through smoke or fog. The HHTI can be used for long range observation with “snap-on” lenses which allow increasing optical magnification 6X. The exceptional zoom capabilities and a use of bi-ocular makes the HHTI a superb tool for surveillance. The soldier can operate the HHTI while standing in a hand held position or by using a tripod to support it when lying on the ground. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense Update

The Ground Forces Command is expecting to field the Lotus long range observation system. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense-update

The Hornet mobile mortar we covered today is empowered by highly advanced target acquisition and fire control systems, enabling the small unit to rapidly fire standard mortar bombs or precision guided variants, and run away to a new, safer location. The target acquisition system employs pattented concept developed by Asio Technologies, enabling the vehicle to prepare for firing without accurate land survey. Typical accuracy provided by the Pointer is north position determination of 1 meter or 3-5 meters via GPS channels. Photos: Noam Eshel - Defense-Update

Saab 2000 aircraft carrying the Erieye Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) Radar system Photo: Peter Liander, Saab Group

The Saab group has been awarded a contract to deliver an Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) system comprising the Saab 2000 aircraft platform equipped with the ERIEYE airborne early warning radar system. The contract comprises a Saab 2000 aircraft equipped with the advanced ERIEYE radar system, ground equipment, logistics and support services, to be delivered over a period of 4.5 years. The identity of the customer has not been released but it is assumed to be one of the Gulf States. The number of aircraft to be delivered has not been released as well.

Earlier this year the UAE has ordered two smaller Erieye AEW systems based on the saab 340 platform. At the time official sources at the UAE explained the w340 is an interim solution, and that the country is still undecided on the long-term plans for its objective AEW capability, considering the Saab 2000, Boeing 737 and Northrop Grumman E-2D. Other nations in the region interested in acquiring AEW capability include Oman and Kuwait.

Another country that could be interested in such capabilities is South Africa where Saab sold the Gripen fighter aircraft and also operates local subsidiaries. In 2008 the use of Erieye was considered to bolster aerial surveillance and security during the World Cup games this year. However, the presence of such aircraft during the games was not reported. According to Saab, the Erieye airborne surveillance system in combination with the ground equipment provide a detailed picture of a situation which can be used in connection with, for example, border surveillance, rescue operations as well as in combating terrorism and organized crime.

“This contract can be seen as a further confirmation of our strong position in the world regarding not only the area of airborne surveillance but in systems integration and data fusion as well, says Håkan Buskhe,” CEO, Saab. “This surveillance system will provide the customer with improved solutions for defense and civil security.”

Saab’s ERIEYE radar is currently operated by the Swedish Air Force and Royal Thai Air Force and the UAE Air Force (on Saab 340 platforms). Brazil, Mmexico and Greece operate it on the Embraer 145 platform. The only Saab-2000 sofar is Pakistan.

On Thursday last week (Sept 30) the Pentagon awarded two competitive contracts for the delivery of advanced targeting pods for U.S. Air Force fighters. The Air Force will continue the procurement of two types of pods under the Advanced Targeting Pod – Sensors Enhancement (ATP-SE) program – the AAQ-33 Sniper from Lockheed Martin and AAQ-28(V) Litening – from Northrop Grumman and Israel’s Rafael. The total spending on the two systems over the life of the program could reach US$2.3 billion. The service is seeking to acquire an estimated 275 systems. At present, the contracts awarded to each of the two teams amount about $23 million each.

RADA Electronic Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: “RADA”) is a Defense Electronics System House specializing in sophisticated, military-oriented electronic systems for airborne and land applications. RADA offers complete system solutions in addition to OEM subsystems and products, designed primarily for the aerospace and defense markets.

Website link: rada.com

RADA’s product lines include :

• Data Recording & Management
• Inertial Navigation Systems (INS)
• Avionic Solutions
• Radar Sensors for Force Protection Systems

RADA is a recognized world leader in the field of airborne video and data recordings. The company’s INS solutions, based on Fiber Optic Gyros (FOG) or Micro-Electro Mechanical Sensors (MEMS), are highly affordable and are suitable to a wide range of airborne and land military applications . RADA’s Radar technology provides compact and affordable sensors for APS and Perimeter Surveillance.

Based on its product range and extensive engineering experience, the company also offers complete system solutions, primarily in video and data recording and management systems, and avionic upgrade suits for military and aircraft and Mission (ISR) aircraft .

RADA’s customers include leading air forces the world over and prime integrators such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Electric, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Embraer, Israel Military Industry (IMI) and many others .

RADA was founded in 1970 and has been traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange since 1985. RADA’s Chairman and President is Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Herzle Bodinger, who served as the Israeli Air Force Commander prior to joining the company.

RADA is certified to ISO-9000: 2000, AS9100B, and ISO-14001 standards.

Data Recording and Management

Digital Video Recorders, Flight Data Recorders, HUD Video Cameras, and Post-Mission Ground Debriefing Solutions.

Inertial Navigation Systems (INS)

FOG-Based Navigation Grade EGI and IMU (the R-100F family), MEMS-Based INS and IMU compact solutions (the R-200M family), for airborne and land applications.

Avionics Solutions

Aircraft Avionics Upgrades, ISR Aircraft Upgrades, and a wide variety of Avionics Subsystems for manned and unmanned vehicles.

Radar Sensors for Force Protection Systems

Compact, lightweight – yet armored – pulse-Doppler Digital Radars, for Active Protection Systems (APS) for armored vehicles and tanks, and Perimeter Surveillance Radars (PSR) for stationary and HLS applications.

Defense Update posts about RADA:

• Eurosatory 2010 Report
• Rada Unveil the Sentinel radar for APS
• Digital Video Recorders Reach the Battlefield
• Generic Avionics Set Path for the Network Centric Israel Air Force
• Heron TP (Eitan) Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV
• Ground Debriefing System for Israel’s F-16I Soufa
• High Capacity Digital Video Recorder
• NGC, RADA Team to Offer a Tactical Rocket Laser Shield
• Israel Air Force to Deploy a New Video Recorder & Data Server from RADA

CONTROP specializes in the development and production of Electro-Optical and Precision Motion Control Systems. The company’s specialists have over 35 years of experience in Electro-Optical / Infra-Red (EO/IR) products for surveillance, defense and homeland security.

Company website: controp.com

CONTROP’s main product lines include automatic passive intruder detection systems for coastal surveillance, port and harbour security, border surveillance, security of sensitive sites, perimeter security surveillance and ground troops security; High performance stabilized observation payloads used for day and night surveillance on board UAVs, mini UAVs and aerostats/balloons, helicopters, light aircraft, maritime patrol boats and ground vehicles; Thermal imaging cameras with high performance Continuous Zoom Lens and state-of-the-art image enhancement features, and more. The company’s range of surveillance, defense and homeland security systems include:

Controp’s Main Product Lines

• Stabilized EO / IR Payload Systems
• Scanning & Observation Systems
• Thermal Imaging Cameras
• Stabilized Gimbals and Antenna Pedestals
• Flat Panel TV Monitors

CONTROP’s specialists design and assemble optical lenses (zoom), in high accuracy mechanical subsystems. The company’s products are also supported by in-house electronic design, of both analog and digital systems, software design and implementation, inertial stabilization, servo-loops design testing, with inertial and GPS-aided INS systems expertise.

CONTROP’s main product lines include: Automatic passive intruder detection systems for coastal surveillance, port and harbor security, border surveillance, securing sensitive sites, perimeter security surveillance and ground troops security; High performance stabilized observation payloads are used for day and night surveillance on board UAVs, mini UAVs and aerostats/balloons, helicopters, light aircraft, maritime patrol boats and ground vehicles; thermal imaging cameras with high performance Continuous Zoom Lens and state-of-the-art image enhancement features, and more. CONTROP’s products are in daily operational use by many of the most critical homeland security and defense programs worldwide.

The company has a vast in-house knowledge base in all technological fields related to inertially-stabilized electro-optical payloads, and their applications for airborne, land or naval applications. The company also has the required design, simulation and testing tools and equipment supporting the product’s life cycle, from CONTROP has mastered all critical technological aspects required for successful implementation and integration of technological advances in electro-optical systems, including system-level design, analysis and simulation of electro-optical and Infra-red (thermal) sensors – both cooled and uncooled thermal imaging cameras. The company’s R&D teams specialize in real-time image enhancement and image processing, video tracker hardware / software design, implementation and integration of laser systems.

CONTROP has mastered all critical technological aspects required for successful implementation and integration of technological advances in electro-optical systems, including system-level design, analysis and simulation of electro-optical and Infra-red (thermal) sensors – both cooled and uncooled thermal imaging cameras. The company’s R&D teams specialize in real-time image enhancement and image processing, video tracker hardware / software design, implementation and integration of laser systems.

Main Products:

Stabilized EO / IR Payload Systems

CONTROP’s payloads are gyro-stabilized in two or three axis, using 3, 4 or 5 gimbals for applications in helicopters, aircraft or ground surveillance vehicles, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Unmanned Ground Vehicles, land vehicles or naval vessels, as well as sensors protecting fixed sites. These payloads can carry multiple sensors or a single camera, according to the user’s requirements. They come in different weight and performance levels, from 46 kg to 0.75 kg. Back

Scanning & Observation Systems

CONTROP was one of the world pioneers in the development of Scanning & Observation Surveillance Camera Systems. These sensors are providing both observation and panoramic scan capabilities using a single camera observation system. The company has been delivering such systems since the late 1990′s, meeting a wide range of operational requirements with numerous military and governmental agencies. Typical applications are Intruder Detection for border protection, perimeter security for air bases and other strategic sites, coastal defense and air defense applications. Back

Thermal Imaging Cameras

CONTROP developed a range of cooled and uncooled, high performance thermal cameras, providing night, daylight and adverse weather visibility. Typical applications of these cameras are for military, homeland security uses. CONTROP’s FLIRs are used throughout the company’s product range and also by other manufacturers and are also provided as an OEM sensor. Back

Stabilized Gimbals and Antenna Pedestals

The company offers Gyro Stabilized Gimbal Assemblies and Antenna Pedestals applicable for various optronic payloads and directional datalink antenna assemblies used on UAVs, aerial, naval and land-based systems. Back

Flat Panel TV Monitors

CONTROP also offers high brightness, ruggedized flat panel monitors for use with air, land and naval platforms and applications, including fixed and rotary wing aircraft, sea vessels and ground vehicles. These Super VGA displays are available in 15″, 10.4″ or 8.4″ LCD active matrix (TFT) screen sizes and are compatible to operate at altitudes of up to 20,000 feet. Back

Defense Update posts about Controp:

• SPEED-A, Aerostat-Dedicated Stabilized EO Payload System
• D-STAMP Daylight – Stabilized Miniature Payload
• DSP-1 EO Payload
• ESP-600 Lightweight EO payload
• MSSP-3 EO payload
• UAV Payloads on Display at AUVSI 2007
• Skylark 1 LE Mini UAV
• Israeli Battalions to Get Skylark 1 LE UAVs
• Aeronautics Displays the Orbiter, a New Small UAVs at the Paris Air Show
• Panoramic IR Scanners
• Red-Sky Short Range Air Defense System
• Ground Surveillance Vehicle – ZIBAR M

ITT is introducing new Wide Area Airborne Surveillance (WAAS) sensor architecture and a special WAAS payload at the AUVSI 2010 exhibition opened today in Denver, CO. The new architecture enables the warfighter to access collection of data from multiple sources. The new stabilized multi-megapixel-class day/night payload designated WAAS-W comprises a turret sensor designed to operate with the new architecture.

WAAS-W generates multiple high resolution views of specific regions, simultaneously, across the payload’s widest footprint, enabling users to track multiple targets in different parts of the field of view. The system enables the user to instantly obtain high resolution, detailed images sufficient to track dismounts. The payload uses two separate imagers, 160 day/night imager and 64 megapixel mid-wave infrared imagers covering a wide field of view with fixed optics, producing two simultaneous feeds updated at a rate of several frames per second.

For more information on WAAS see also Defense Update article “Night Eyes for the Constant Hawk” published 19 September, 2009.

We also suggest the coverage of ITT’s “Broad Area Persistent Surveillance System” on Defense-Update.

AAS-W generates multiple high resolution views of specific regions , simultaneously, across the payload's widest footprint, enabling users to track multiple targets in different parts of the field of view. Photo: ITT

ITT is introducing new Wide Area Airborne Surveillance (WAAS)sensor architecture and a special WAAS payload at the AUVSI 2010 exhibition opened today in Denver, CO. The new architecture enables the warfighter to access collection of data from multiple sources. The new stabilized multi-megapixel-class day/night payload designated WAAS-W comprises a turret sensor designed to operate with the new architecture.

WAAS-W generates multiple high resolution views of specific regions, simultaneously, across the payload’s widest footprint, enabling users to track multiple targets in different parts of the field of view. The system enables the user to instantly obtain high resolution, detailed images sufficient to track dismounts. The payload uses two separate imagers, 160 day/night imager and 64 megapixel mid-wave infrared imagers covering a wide field of view with fixed optics, producing two simultaneous feeds updated at a rate of several frames per second.

For more information on WAAS see also Defense Update article “Night Eyes for the Constant Hawk” published 19 September, 2009.

We also suggest the coverage of ITT’s “Broad Area Persistent Surveillance System” on Defense-Update.

FLIR Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:FLIR) has submitted an offer to merge ICx Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq GM:ICXT) into FLIR Systems. ICx Board of Directors has unanimously accepted FLIR’s offer to pay $7.55 in cash for each of ICx shares.

The transaction could be completed in the fourth quarter this year. ICx is a developer of advanced sensor technologies for homeland security, force protection and commercial applications.

ICx revenues have dropped in the first half of 2010 to $77 million, down from $92 million for the same six months last year. However, the company’s funded backlog has increased, 38% to $73 million from the beginning of the year.