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Over the past decade military forces, driven by events in Iraq and Afghanistan, have been playing catch-up in the surveillance game. ISTAR – Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance – capability has become the ‘Holy Grail’ and in 2010 it looks like the various efforts are beginning to come together. This is as much due to lateral thinking in the use of information gathered as the equipment used to gather it. One important element in the network of surveillance assets that have been brought into play has been the explosion of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) onto the military scene.
By their very nature, UAVs do not have an on-board pilot and so are deprived of that most basic of ISTAR sensors – the Mark One Mod Zero Eyeball! The alternative adopted has been the sensor turret and its associated image-gathering and distribution systems, which have evolved incredibly rapidly over the last five years from a pure surveillance tool to a sophisticated targeting system. The platforms themselves have also evolved, particularly in the ability to remain aloft for much longer, allowing the forces to improve an import element of ISTAR, especially when waging asymmetric warfare against an enemy that declines to wear uniform and can ‘melt’ away into the innocent civilian populace – persistent surveillance.
The use of unmanned aircraft for reconnaissance been around for well over 30 years – they were called “drones” then. I still remember visiting the Belgian firm of MBLE and being briefed on the Epervier artillery surveillance drone in 1977. The sensors then were wet-film cameras and the drone had to be safely recovered, the film developed and then prints made for physical distribution. It was a far cry from the digital imagery, much in full motion video (FMV), down-linked to ROVER terminals with the front line troops on patrol in real-time.
Today, UAVs range in size from micro-platforms with wingspans as small as 152mm to air vehicles the size of civil commuter aircraft. They can be fixed- or rotary-winged, including tilt-rotors, and, in addition to surveillance and targeting, they are being used, increasingly, as strike assets. While some UAV payloads include radar and signals intelligence (SIGINT) – usually of the communications intelligence (COMINT) flavour – it is the visual surveillance tool which virtually all platforms will have in addition to the other systems – the electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) sensor turret on which this feature is focussed.
The industrial base for manufacturing UAVs is global, although it is products from Israel and the United States that dominate the market, with some French and German products beginning to make san impact. The EO/IR sensor turret industry (which serves helicopter and fixed-wing platforms as well as UAVs) offers equipment sourced from contractors in countries as diverse as Canada, France, Germany, Israel, South Africa, the UK and the United States. However, as many of the UAVs in operation today are of Israeli origin (either directly procured or built/developed under licence), let us look first at their contribution to the sensor turret market.
In terms of EO/IR systems, Controp Precision Technologies, Elbit Systems Electro-Optics (Elbit/Elop) and IAI Tamam produce such systems for ‘conventional’ UAV application, while Bental Industries produces the MicroBat series of EO payloads, weighing less than 350g, for installation aboard mini- and micro-UAVs.
Controp produces a wide range of UAV-applicable equipment that includes the smaller-than-1,000-g STAMP (STAbilised Miniature Payload) family of miniature EO payloads, the 12.3 kg ESP-600C colour observation payload, the 26 kg DSP-1 multi-sensor turret and the 28 kg FSP-1 forward-looking IR (FLIR) turret.
Within the STAMP range, there are six potential variants of this lightweight stabilised EO sensor: the two-gimbal daylight TV-equipped D-STAMP, the three-gimbal daylight TV D-STAMP 3G, the three-gimbal Low Light TV (LLTV) L-STAMP, the three-gimbal high-definition TV H-STAMP, the three-gimbal cooled thermal imager N-STAMP and the three-gimbal uncooled thermal imager U-STAMP. In terms of applications, STAMP installations have been seen on the Aeronautics Defence Systems Orbiter mini-UAV and on some models of the Elbit’s Skyark and some Aeronautics Aerostar UAVs.
The ESP-600C uses a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) colour camera with a x15 (40 to 600mm) zoom lens and is understood to have been installed aboard ESS Dogan, IAI Searcher and IAI Scout UAVs. The DSP-1 incorporates a high-resolution daylight CCD camera and the company’s Fox-720 mid-wave infrared (MWIR – 3-5 microns) thermal imaging camera, with the option of adding a laser rangefinder. Installations have been noted aboard Scout and Searcher UAVs (since 1997) and the Aerostar UAV. The baseline FSP-1 turret incorporates a daylight or low-light CCD camera and a long-wave infrared (LWIR – 8-12 microns) thermal imager and has been installed aboard the Searcher UAV.
The lead product from Elbit/Elop is its CoMPASS (Compact Multi-purpose Advanced Stabilised System), which in its 38 kg CoMPASS IV configuration is used on the company’s Hermes 450 UAV. This incorporates an MWIR thermal imager, a colour/monochrome daylight CCD camera, an eye-safe laser rangefinder, a laser target illuminator and a laser designator.
For the UK’s Watchkeeper programme, which is based on the Hermes 450 air vehicle, the digital DCoMPASS version is used, with the option of a range of sensor payloads, including high-resolution MWIR (or LWIR) thermal imagers and CCD cameras, with a range of lens, plus various laser payloads. The latter include a rangefinder, rangefinder/designator (in single or dual wavebands), a night-vision goggle (NVG)-compatible target illuminator or spot tracker. Depending on payload, the DCoMPASS weight 32-41 kg.
The family was expanded in 2007, with two other variants: the 12-inch diameter Mini-CoMPASS, with four sensors (MWIR thermal and CCD cameras, laser rangefinder and laser pointer); and the 8-inch diameter Micro-CoMPASS with three sensors (dropping the laser rangfinder), which is used on the company’s Skylark II tactical UAV.
The Moked family of EO sensors from IAI Tamam is known to have been used aboard Pioneer (Moked 400) and SIVA (Moked 400NDP) UAVs; while the company's Multi-mission Optronic Stabilised Payload (MOSP) turret family uses a payload comprising an LWIR thermal imager, colour or monochrome CCD cameras and a laser rangefinder/pointer, weighing-in at between 26-36 kg, depending on sensor configuration. MOSP has been fitted to Searcher, Hermes 450, Heron and Hunter UAVs (all MOSP3000) plus the Ranger UAV with MOSP 1000.
At the Singapore Air Show in February 2010, the company showed its range of Plug-in Optronic Payload (POP) turrets. The 16 kg POP-200 day/night sensor has been fitted to the AAI Corporation RQ-7 Shadow UAV used by the US Army, as has the POP-300. A long range version (POP-300LR) is available, as is one with a designator (POP-300D), weighing 20 kg. The 8-9 kg Mini-POP has an MWIR thermal imager and CCD TV camera, while the 1.2 kg Micro-POP has either thermal or TV channels.
Moving to the United States, players in the UAV EO/IT sensor turret market include FLIR Systems Inc. Government Systems (FSI GS), Northrop Grumman, Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems and Sensors Unlimited (now part of Goodrich ISR Systems).
The FSI GS product range includes the 45 kg Star SAFIRE (Shipborne/Airborne Forward-looking InfraRed Equipment) III system, which can accommodate up to six sensor payloads chosen from what might be referred to as “the usual suspects” of thermal imagers, CCD cameras and laser payloads (depending on mission requirements). Known UAV applications for Star SAFIRE III are on Boeing’s Eagle Eye tilt-rotor UAV and (in trial configuration) the Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout rotary-wing UAV.
Production MQ-8B Fire Scouts for the US Navy will be equipped with the larger 54 kg FSI GS AN/AAQ-22E BRITE Star II turret for surveillance and targeting duties. Its sensor suite incorporates a 640x480 MWIR thermal imager, a 3-chip colour CCD camera, laser rangefinder, designator and pointer.
Although not yet with a reported UAV application, the company’s 14.7 kg Talon range of 9-inch diameter penta-payload turrets (permed from “the usual suspects”) is applicable to UAVs. Also from FSI GS is the 13 kg thermal imager/CCD TV channel MicroSTAR II, alsos equipped with a laser pointer which understood to have been installed aboard a range of UAVs including the Schiebel Camcopter, Alenia Aeronautica Falco, DRS Technologies Sentry HP and AAI Corporation Shadow 400 and 600 types.
Northrop Grumman is developing the ASTAMIDS (Airborne Surveillance, Target Acquisition And MInefield Detection System) turret for the US Army’s version of the MQ-8 Fire Scout rotary-wing UAV. The multi-spectral sensor suite comprises a daylight TV camera, an MWIR thermal imager and a QPAS (Quad-Prism Aperture-Splitting) multi-spectral imaging camera (from Science & Engineering Associates). The company addresses the fixed-wing UAV EO/IR sensor turret market with its 16 kg Raven Eye I and smaller-than-50-kg Raven Eye II payloads, with sensors to customer configuration.
The UAV-applicable products from Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems are the 57 kg AN/AAS-52 Multispectral Targeting System A (MTS-A), developed for the weaponised MQ-1 version of the Predator UAV; the 104 kg AN/DAS-1 MTS-B for Predator’s ‘big brother’, the MQ-9 Reaper; and the EO/IR subsystem incorporated in the RQ-4 Global Hawk’s Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS). Both MTS-A and MTS-B incorporate TV and thermal-imaging channels, laser illumination and an eye-safe laser rangefinder; while the Global Hawk ISS EO subsystem includes an MWIR thermal imager and a 0.55-0.8 micron digital daylight CCD camera. In its latest manifestation as the Enhanced ISS, a 50% increase in sensor range (when compared with the baseline configuration) is claimed.
Among the US short-range mini-UAVs, mention should also be made of Boeing’s Scan Eagle, equipped with either a thermal or TV camera (the latest models featuring the DRS Technologies E600 thermal camera with a x7.5 digital zoom; and Lockheed Martin’s Desert Hawk III, which features ‘plug-and-play’ sensor modules, including a two-axis stabilised EO payload and a low-light (Near IR) illuminator/imager and Near IR laser designator.
Now part of Goodrich, Sensors Unlimited produce small (300g to 1.1 kg) short-wave infrared (SWIR – 0.9 to 1.7 microns) cameras of 320x240 pixel resolution (such as the SU320MX-1.7RT used on Pointer and Dragon Eye UAVs) and 640x480 pixels (being developed for future smaller UAVs for special operations).
Moving north to Canada, L-3 Wescam’s sensor turrets are currently concentrated on manned aircraft and helicopters, although the latest MX-10 model is smaller (9-inch diameter) and, with payloads from the usual suspects, is aimed at UAVs. The earlier Model 12DS/TS200 EO turret series accommodates a daylight CCD camera, an MWIR thermal imager and a laser illuminator (12TS200). These are known to have been installed aboard Bombardier CL-227 and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) Gnat 750 UAVs. Early models of the Predator have also been equipped with the company’s Model 14TS EO package that includes daylight TV camera and an MWIR thermal imager.
Across in Europe, the 20 kg AGILE 2 EO/IR sensor turret from Thales France, with an MWIR thermal imager and daytime CCD camera plus eye-safe laser rangefinder and a laser pointer, has been fitted to a Camcopter for evaluation by the French Army. The other major player, Sagem Defense Securite, supplies the OLOSP 350 (diameter in mm) sensor package for the Sperwer A UAV, operated by Canada, France, Greece and the Netherlands. The company’s new EUROFLIR 350 is being marketed as part of the Sperwer Mk II UAV system.
Sagem also manufacturers infrared linescanners (IRLS), including the LWIR Corsaire (supplied to the CL-289 programme) and the LWIR Cyclope 2000, for the French Army's Crecerelle UAV.
The Italian side of Selex Galileo offer a range of Electro-Optical Surveillance and Tracking (EOST) systems, of which the EOST-45/M equips the Falco and Sky-Y UAVs. It is equipped with the company's ERICA (Enhanced Reconnaissance Infrared CamerA) MWIR thermal imager, a zoom colour TV camera for target search combined with a monochrome or colour high-magnification long-range TV camera for target identification.
The German end of Carl Zeiss Optronics has supplied its MWIR ATTICA thermal imager for use on the Luna 2000 UAV, while its LWIR OPHELIOS thermal imager is fitted to the German Army's KZO AV. In June 2007, the company acquired South Africa's Denel Optronics – now Carl Zeiss Optronics (Pty) – inheriting the Goshawk family of multisensor (colour and spotter TV channels, an LWIR thermal imager and a laser rangefinder) payloads, examples of which are understood to have been installed aboard Denel’s Seeker and Sagem’s Sperwer UAVs.
This has been very much a ‘whistle-stop’ review of the major systems in use on UAVs today. Many of the systems mentioned and other EO/IR sensor turrets produced by companies covered above have applications on board helicopters and fixed-wing ISTAR platforms. The need for more ‘useful’ ISTAR imagery in Iraq and Afghanistan has provided the spur for increasing sensor resolution and range, and reducing size. Many systems in service only five years ago have seen their sensor packages upgraded at least once in this time.
The other aspect, that should not be ignored, is – of course – the turret stabilisation systems and the image processing software that has been developed. Space does not permit going into detail but, on this occasion, suffice it to say that most major manufacturers has developed their own proprietary systems and, where none have existed, products produced by companies, such as the Sarnoff Corporation in the United States, can be integrated into the processing units. Medium-range FMV is here today and useable long-range FMV is just around the corner.
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