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

Sure Fire, LLC was awarded a $16 million contract by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, for the delivery of Visible Bright Light Heavy (VBL-H) fire control device for the M2HB .50 caliber heavy machine gun. This application augments the capabilities of heavy crew served weapons in low-light or low observation situations. The device provides visible target designation to assist the gunners in target detection, recognition, and identification within the effective range of the M2HB heavy machine gun.

The VBL-H employs a LED light flashing at a high rate – strobe of up to 30 flashes per second, producing a high

intensity white light or infrared beam with low power consumption. The effective range is one kilometer. Beam angle can also be tuned from a 1° spot to 20°.

VBL-H is part of a day/night target acquisition and fire control solution for crew served weapons, known as MDNS-CSW. An Operator equipped with the MDNS-CSW system is able to recognize, engage, and defeat enemy personnel and targets during close-in or extended range combat in open terrain or urban area. The system comprises a day and night sights, the VBL-H illumination device, and high-power laser aiming light.

Fire control solutions are provided by the ballistic processor module that interfaces with all sights to provide targeting data and aiming corrections. The weapon employing the MDNS-CSW can be operated manually from a remote control unit configured with two-grip handler. MDNS-CSW is designed to match four typical crew-served weapons employed by the U.S. Special Forces, including the M2HB, .50 Cal heavy machine gun, the MK44 Minigun, M240 series 7.62mm medium machine guns and Series MK-19 and MK-47 automatic grenade launcher.

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.

The U.S. Army Research Development and Engineering Command (REDCOM) have ordered 660 Enhanced Night Vision Goggles (ENVG) from three manufacturers for testing, toward massive fielding of new ENVGs in upcoming years. The awarded companies are ITT, L-3 Insight Technology and DRS Systems. The three contracts, each valued around US$250 million, cover the delivery of the 220 systems in the base year, (2010) and options for the delivery of production quantities in the years 2011-2013. The Army is expecting to field new and improved digital fused imaging goggles by 2014.

Sofar ITT has been producing the Army’s first generation AN/PSQ-20 ENVG under a sole source indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract worth about $560 million. This contract expires by the end of 2010. ITT has already provided over 2,400 ENVG systems with another 6,500 to be delivered on the current contract.

The development of the ENVG began in the year 2000. First models were fielded in 2008 with special operations units. By early 2009 the 10th Mountain Division was the first regular Army unit to receive few hundred items. The recent follow-on contracts address an ENVG follow-on program, with ITT has addressed with an updated version of the current ENVG system, called ‘Spiral Enhanced Night Vision Goggle’ (SENVG). This new device is designed to meet high volume production rates and the critical performance requirements of the ground-based soldier.

ENVG (Enhanced Night Vision Goggle) Training

The SENVG incorporates the 18 mm image intensifier tube and a display beam combiner assembly (DBCA) utilizing an OLED-XL microdisplay produced by eMagin. The SENVG utilizes several qualified ENVG subassemblies and is powered by three AA batteries, which reduces the logistics burden and gives the customer an estimated $130 million savings over the product’s life cycle. Through various system enhancements the SENVG has a digital upgrade capability that will allow the goggle to export fused imagery for transmission via battlefield networks.

Since the fielding of the ENVG PEO Soldier has been delivering ENVGs and in parallel, developing a lighter, more rugged digital system (ENVG-D), that will also support image transfer and display of images from other sensors and sights, Digital Video Recorders (DVR) and remote computing devices. The current systems are significantly more expensive and heavier, compared to the systems they are intended to replace – PVS-7 and PVS-14. The new ENVG (D) is expected to overcome these weaknesses and meet the Army’s objective weight and cost requirements.

Read more on the Enhanced Night Vision Goggles (ENVG) 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.

Elbit Systems is expanding its family of man portable unmanned ground systems with the introduction of two new models. During a recent exhibition the company displayed the new robots, in addition to a wide range of advanced land and C4I solutions. The new members of the VIPeR family of intelligent and portable robots include the Mini-VIPeR and Maxi-VIPeR, which join the VIPeR robot, already operational in the Israel Defense Forces under the Hebrew name “Pazit.”

All VIPeRs are designed for portability and high mobility; the robots are configurable for multiple types of missions by add-on sensors, modules and payloads, tailored to specific tasks. The Viper is controlled by a single operator, and is designed to negotiate obstacles typical of an urban environment, such as climbing stairs and rubbles, when performing surveillance, reconnaissance and support troops in urban warfare missions.

The VIPeR vehicle uses the “Galileo Wheel”, a patented wheel that can be transformed on the move into a triangular track, developed by Galileo Mobility Instruments ltd. This unique automotive system enables the robot to climb stairs, negotiate difficult terrain, move over barricades, dense vegetation and other obstacles.
The Mini-VIPeR and Maxi VIPeR robots use a more common track system. While the two new robots bear some resemblance to the Beagle, developed by Elbit Systems of America, a closer look at the two new robots reveal more similarities to the locally designed VIPeR. The larger version uses a wide, heavy duty track system, adapted from the VIPeR for outdoor operation over rugged terrain. The smaller robot uses a narrow track, more suitable for indoor operation.

Both have body mounted sensors, flat top and bottom surfaces, for the mounting of mission payloads. The Mini-VIPeR is a light-weight, one-person portable system (weighing approximately 3.5 kg), equipped with advanced sensors that allow full operation in adverse terrain. Thrown into a dark tunnel or tossed through a window, into a room, the mini-Viper allows warfighters to survey structures before entering. The larger, yet compact Maxi-VIPeR robot is designed to carry sensors and tele-operated manipulator arms, for the handling of unexploded devices and other hazardous materials including radioactive materials.

MBDA has embarked on an innovative evolution of next generation weapon systems designed to empower future infantry and dismounted warfighters with advanced, yet unavailable capabilities. Ideas for the new concepts were received from MBDA employees Throughout the world, and from military users and veterans. According to Michael Mew, Lead ENgineer for the Concept Visions program, the new weapons could be developed based partly on technologies already available, and could be demonstrated through the upcoming years. ‘This program sets our goals and could challenge our design teams for years to come’ Mew told Defense Update.

Saab will supply the Sea Giraffe Agile Multi-Beam (AMB) radar to equip the Australian Canberra class amphibious ships. The value of the order is US$15.6 million.

The Sea Giraffe AMB system comprises a multi-mission capable surveillance systems providing simultaneous air defense, air and sea surveillance, air/land integration, military air traffic control and rocket, artillery and mortar alert. Saab’s Sea Giraffe naval surveillance radar is in operational service on the Australian and New Zealand Anzac Class frigates. The Giraffe radars are currently in production and in use with armed forces including Sweden, France, Estonia and the UK. HMAS Canberra is the lead ship of two new amphibious landing dock ships to be delivered in 2012 – 2014, replacing the current amphibious support vessels operated by the Royal Australian Navy.

Australia has also leased from Saab a land based Giraffe ABM radar to provide early warning from mortars and rocket attacks for troops deployed to Uruzgan, Afghanistan. The lease contract value is approximately $32 million including operations and support. It is considered as an interim measure until more radars are acquired and fielded.