Elevating mobile night vision devices..
VOLKOV Viktor Genrikhovich, PhD in Engineering, Associate Professor
Elevating mobile night vision devices
In works [1, 2] night vision devices (NVD) based on image intensifier tubes (IIT), thermal imaging (TIV) and multichannel observation and aiming devices for armored vehicles were considered. In work [2] it was shown that TIV devices and multichannel NVD provide all-weather and round-the-clock operation, allowing to obtain increased ranges of action (3-5 km and more for ground objects such as “cars”). However, for practical implementation of these ranges there are natural and artificial obstacles: buildings, vegetation (forest, tall bushes), high slopes of hills, gorges, cliffs, reservoirs, etc. Due to such features of the relief in Europe, the line of sight range does not exceed 1-1.5 km. In this regard, there is a need to create lifting NVDs, allowing to increase the line of sight range. These mobile NVDs are installed on armored vehicles or on specially equipped cars. Elevating NVDs can be installed on lifting or non-height-adjustable columns, or on movable lifting masts. The latter, in turn, can be either telescopic or in the form of a pantograph. Due to the fact that when raising NVDs to a significant height (10 — 15 m), they are subject to strong wind influence, it is necessary to install NVDs on a gyrostabilized platform. Therefore, gyrostabilized helicopter NVDs are often used for such purposes.
Some information about mast-mounted NVDs is contained in the work [3]. This article presents more detailed information about lifting NVDs. Let us first consider NVDs mounted on relatively low columns. One of them is the IRTS 6340 TPV device, installed on a column about 0.5 m high [4]. The column is mounted on the roof of a Chevrolet Suburban police car. The device operates in the spectrum range of 8 – 12 µm, has two field of view angles: 2 and 80, the horizontal viewing angle is 3600, vertical ± 450 [4]. Resolution < 0.05 mrad, weight – 28.7 kg, dimensions – 395x280x560 mm.
The multichannel NVD VAA [5] contains a 2nd generation Ophelios TPV channel, a daytime TV channel and a laser rangefinder that is safe for eyesight. The NVD can be raised to a height of » 1 m relative to the armored vehicle hull. The detection range for a helicopter-type target is 20 km. The TV channel is based on a CCD matrix with 752×582 elements and has a field of view angle adjustable from 2 to 200. The TPV channel operates in the spectrum range of 7.5 – 10.5 µm and is based on an IR CCD based on HgCdTe with 96×4 elements. The field of view angle is 9.4×12.50 or 2.7×3.60 with a resolution of 756×576 pixels. The laser rangefinder based on YAG with a Raman cell emits at a wavelength of 1.543 µm and provides range measurement with an accuracy of ± 5 m. It can scan horizontally within ± 2200 and vertically within ± 300 at a speed of 40 deg/s. The device has a maximum power consumption of 390 W when powered from an on-board network of 18-32 V. The image is observed from the screen of a CRT-based TV monitor with a screen size of 180 x 136 mm, the dimensions of the device itself on the platform are 505x420x320 mm, weight 19-23 kg, the control unit and display are 350x240x315 mm and 22 kg, respectively [5].
The mobile version of the Sych-2 TPV device [6] of the Cyclone Central Research Institute (RF) is housed in a casing and mounted on a rotary device, which is fixed to the roof of the vehicle permanently or with a magnet. The image is viewed from the TV monitor screen installed in the cabin. The control panel for the rotary device is also located there. The TPV device can use lenses with a focal length of 220 or 100 mm. In this case, the human detection range is 1 km, the field of view angle is 9×6.750, the temperature resolution is 0.1 K, the working spectrum region is 8 – 12 μm. The device is based on a photodetector device (PD) in the form of an uncooled microbolometer matrix, and has a mass of 2 kg.
A typical appearance of the lifting multi-channel round-the-clock reconnaissance device is shown in Photo 1a. The device is installed on the artillery mobile reconnaissance post ACV AFOV by FNSS (Turkey) [7]. The device consists of TPV, TV, radar and laser rangefinder channels. The device is controlled from the fighting compartment of the armored vehicle (Photo 1b).
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Photo 1. Elevating multi-channel round-the-clock reconnaissance device installed on the ACV AFOV armored vehicle by FNSS (Turkey) (a), as well as its display (b) with a control panel (c)
Photo 2 shows a multichannel device from Zeiss (Germany) [8]. The Ophelios TPV channel operates in the spectral range of 7.5 – 10.5 µm and has interchangeable fields of view of 5.2×70, 1.5×20, 9×120, 2.7×3.50, 12.3×6.40, 3.6×6.40 or 3 interchangeable fields of view: 2×2.70, 8×10.80, 22.6×30.60. The FPU contains 96×4 elements. The channel power consumption is 80 W. Instead, the ATTICA MW/LW TPV channel can be used, operating in the spectral range of 2–5 μm (MW) or 8–12 μm (LW) depending on the PD type (MCT, GaAs, InSb). The channel has interchangeable fields of view of 4.7×6.20 and 1.5×20 with the number of PD elements being 384×288 (MW or LW), or 11×150 and 3.6×4.80 with the number of PD elements being 320×240 (MW) or 640×480 (LW). Temperature resolution < 0.05 K, weight 5 kg, dimensions 260x200x140 mm. The power consumption of the TVP channel is 50 W when powered from an on-board network of 18 — 32 V. The daytime color TV channel is based on a 1/3-inch CCD matrix with 752×582 elements. The varifocal lens provides a change in the field of view angle from 1.2 to 120. The rotary device provides a horizontal view of 3600 and a vertical view from — 30 to + 300 at a speed of 40 deg/s and 20 deg/s, respectively. The laser rangefinder channel is based on a YAG laser with a Raman cell. It has a wavelength of 1.543 μm and provides range measurements from 0.05 to 40 km with an accuracy of 5 m [8].
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Photo 2. Multichannel Infrared Surveillance System device from Zeiss [8], installed on a car (a), typical appearance of the display and control panel (b)
The multi-channel observation device for the FENNEK reconnaissance armored vehicle (photo 3) [9] by Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann (Germany) contains a TPV, daytime TV and laser rangefinder channels. The device rises 1.5 m above the roof of the armored vehicle, 3.29 m above the ground, can be moved outside the armored vehicle at a distance of 40 m from it and mounted on a tripod, has a horizontal viewing angle of ± 2200 and a vertical viewing angle of ± 300.
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Photo 3. Multichannel surveillance device on the FENNEK armored vehicle (a), operator's workplace (b), position of the device on the remote tripod (c) [9]
The Eagle III multi-channel lifting system, developed by Siemens Switzerland and Leica for the Swiss Army [10, 11]. This system, like the FENNEK device, can be raised above the roof of an armored vehicle to a height of 1.5 m, and above the ground to a height of 3.2 m. The previously developed Eagle II system includes a TPV, daytime TV and laser rangefinder channels (photo 4). The FORTIS TPV device has two interchangeable fields of view: 18.5×9.50 and 4.5×2.30, respectively, has two magnifications: 1.3x and 5.3x, operates in the spectrum range of 8 — 12 µm and has a temperature resolution of 0.1 K. The detection range according to the standard NATO test is 6 km, recognition — 2 km, identification — > 1 km. In a later Eagle III model, the Ophelios TPV camera from Zeiss (Germany) is used as a TPV device with an observation range of up to 10 km (the detection range of a helicopter is up to 20 km). The daytime TV channel also has a range of 10 km. The laser rangefinder channel, based on a laser with a wavelength of 1.54 μm, has a range of 0.05 — 20 km [15]. Instead of the Ophelios TPV camera, the ATTICA TPV camera can be used (photo 4c). The field of view angle can be 2×1.50, 6.2×4.70, 4.8×3.60, 15×110. Any of these cameras, together with the other channels, is installed on a gyrostabilized platform. The latter is installed on top of the armored vehicle (photo 4d). All these channels are modular and form a single MOESS surveillance system [17]. The horizontal viewing angle is 3600, vertical ± 300. The viewing speed is 40 deg/s and 20 deg/s, respectively. The TV channel has the same parameters as the FENNEK armored vehicle device. The weight of the entire system (including the TV monitor, lifting column, and control panel) is 275 kg.
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Photo 4. Multi-channel surveillance device on the Eagle III armored vehicle [10, 11] (a ), Ophelios TPV camera [15] (b), ATTICA TPV camera [16]. (c), MOESS TPV device [17] (d), also on an armored vehicle [17] (e)
The SMV multi-channel lifting system [28] (photo 5a, b) consists of TPV and TV channels. The detection range of a full-length human figure in the daytime TV channel and in the nighttime TPV channel is 6 km. The horizontal viewing angle is 3600, and the vertical viewing angle is ± 400. The rotation speed of the device head is 60 deg/s, the positioning accuracy is 0.030. The device is serviced by one operator and is powered by a 24 V on-board network.
The multi-channel POS lifting system [29], in addition to the TV and TV channels, contains a laser rangefinder with a range of 0.025 to 4 km. Угол обзора по горизонту 3600, по вертикали ± 350. Прибор также обслуживается одним оператором и питается от бортсети 12 В или 24 В (фото 5в).
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Photo 5. Multichannel devices on a lifting column:
a – SMV device (OMNIPOL, Czech Republic),
b – the same on the car, [12]
c – POS device (VTUVM, Slovenia) [13]
The Vingtags multi-channel lifting system [30] (Fig. 1, photo 6), installed on the M113 armored vehicle of the Norwegian army, contains a navigation system that provides positioning accuracy of <1 mrad in angle and 10-20 m in range at a distance of up to 6 km, visual TV and TPV channels, a laser target designator, and a laser rangefinder. The visual TV channel has variable magnification from 1x to 30x and, accordingly, a variable field of view angle from 2 to 450, a focusing range of 1.8 m – µ, line of sight stabilization accuracy of ± 1 pixel, and a working spectral region of 0.4 – 1.0 µm. The TPV channel has field of view angles of 2.5x1.670 and 12x80, the number of elements in the FPU is 320x240, the time to reach the cooling mode is <7 min at 200 C. The laser designator has a range of 6 km, angular divergence of radiation of 0.3 mrad. The laser rangefinder measures the range within 0.08 - 10 km with an accuracy of ± 10 m and a frequency of one measurement every 3 s. The accuracy of gyrostabilization is 0.1 mrad, its speed is 40 deg/s, the accuracy of stabilization of the line of sight is 0.01 mrad.
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Fig. 1. Multichannel Vightags device on a lifting column (Vinghog, Norway) [14]:
a – device on the M113 armored vehicle,
b – view of the device
Photo 6. Indicator block
In the USA, General Dynamics developed a reconnaissance instrument complex on a lifting column for the RST-V reconnaissance armored vehicle [18, 19]. The complex includes a daytime TV channel, a TPV channel operating in the 3-5 µm spectrum, a laser rangefinder that is safe for the eyes, a laser designator, a global positioning system GPS, and an orientation module that allows determining the cardinal directions with an accuracy of 3.6 mrad.
For the US Army, the Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace (KDA) (Norway) developed the Protector (RVS) system, which includes, in addition to the missile system, an instrument complex for reconnaissance and missile guidance, consisting of a CCD-based TV camera, a TPV channel based on an FPU in the form of an uncooled focal plane matrix of photodetectors, a laser rangefinder, mounted on a gyrostabilized platform (photo 7). The system has a range of 2.5 km, a weight of 150 kg, a horizontal viewing angle of 3600 with a speed of over 60 degrees/s, and a vertical viewing angle of — 20 to + 600. Aiming accuracy is 0.02 mrad, and when firing — 0.05 mrad. The image is observed from the liquid crystal display screen.
Photo 7. Protector system [20]
Multi-channel lifting system Raptor (Virlean Interavia Group, South Africa) [21, 22] (photo 8) consists of a daytime TV camera, a TPV channel and a safe for eyesight laser rangefinder. The horizontal viewing angle is ± 5400, vertical from – 15 to + 300. The uncooled TPV channel operates in the spectrum range of 3 – 5 μm and has a range of 1 km. The color TV camera has a field of view angle that varies from 3 to 480 [22].
Photo. 8. Raptor system [21] on an armored vehicle
The Helio company (Great Britain) has developed a gyrostabilized weapon and reconnaissance system SMARM (photo 9) [22, 23]. The system includes a TPV sight, a daytime TV camera with a variable field of view, a night TV camera and a laser rangefinder. Observation is carried out from a head-mounted display. The SMARM system weighs 260 kg and is coupled with a 12.7 mm machine gun. The TPV channel (SAGEM, France) has two fields of view. The laser rangefinder (Thales, Great Britain) with a wavelength of 1.54 μm provides range measurements of up to 10 km with an accuracy of ± 10 m. The Radamec 206-101 daytime color TV camera has automatic aperture and focus adjustment.
Photo 9. SMARM system [22]
The RSTA MEP system (UK) [36] includes a FLIR TPV channel, a laser designator-rangefinder and a CCD-based TV camera. The system can be raised to a height of up to 5 m. It can also be equipped with a radar station from Thales (UK) [18]. The TPV channel is based on a focal plane array of photodetectors with 512×512 elements. The radar antenna has a diameter of about 38 cm.
The LRAS3 (Long Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System) [24], installed on a reconnaissance armored vehicle, was successfully tested in Kosovo. It includes a FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red) TPV device, a TV camera, a safe for eyesight laser rangefinder and a GPS sensor.
The third-generation MATIS TPV system (SAGEM, France) [25] operates in the 3–5 µm spectrum, uses a focal plane array of photodetectors cooled using a microcryogenic Stirling machine, has a temperature resolution of 0.05 K, a geometric resolution of 768×576/640×480 elements, field of view angles of 26×180 and 1.3×0.90, a weight of 7 kg, and a power consumption of 20 W. The recognition range of a tank-type target is 10.5 km, and its detection is 23 km [25].
NAYADA TVP optical-electronic surface situation monitoring radar system (Fig. 2, photo 10) [26] is designed to monitor a given water area, detect, recognize and automatically track all types of surface targets using radar, TV and TV channels. This ensures the determination of the target class, time of its movement, geographic coordinates, range to the target, bearing, direction and speed of movement. The output of data on the tracked targets is carried out on the electronic cartographic navigation information system (ECDIS).
Fig. 2. Block diagram of the “NAYADA TVP” system [26]
All equipment is placed inside the vehicle, the antenna transceiver is rigidly fixed to its roof, and the TPV, TV and laser rangefinder channels are installed on the support and rotary device (SRD). Radar data are transmitted to the radio station using an automatic data transmitter (ADT), which can transmit information to the command and control post. The image is formed on the screen of the liquid crystal display with a diagonal of 18 inches. Using the radar channel, it is possible to detect large targets at a distance of up to 20 miles, medium — up to 15 miles, small — up to 12 miles, ultra-small — up to 2.4 miles, the minimum detection range is 35 miles, the maximum is 128 miles, the angular resolution is 0.5 — 0.80, the range resolution is 10 — 100 m depending on the set range scale. It is also possible to observe low-flying targets (aircraft, helicopter) at a speed of up to 350 km/h. The complex includes a 1000CLR TPV device, a low-level TV camera “Poisk”, and a safe for the eyes laser rangefinder LDI-11, measuring the range of up to 20 km with an accuracy of ± 5 m.
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Photo 10. The “NAYADA TVP” system:
a – external appearance,
b – the same in combination with a radar on a car,
c – system control panel
Now let us consider mast systems with equipment raised to a significant height.
The Sky-Staek round-the-clock reconnaissance mast system (Cloud Nine (Photographic Services) Ltd., UK) [27] can rise to a height of 20.7 m using a telescopic mast mounted on a car trailer. The mast is equipped with a TV camera with an IR illuminator, a transceiver and a radio telemetry unit that allows the transmission of radio signals containing system information over a range of up to 5 km (photo 11, fig. 3). The horizontal viewing angle is 3600, and the vertical viewing angle is 1800.
Photo 11. Sky-Stalk system [27]
Fig. 3. Sky-Stalk system on the lifting mast
Elbit (Israel) has developed a mast-mounted reconnaissance system for the Mil Tomcar cross-country reconnaissance vehicle [28]. The system weighs only 3 kg and consists of three daytime TV cameras based on CCD matrices and a TPV camera mounted on a mast on a platform with two-axis gyrostabilization. The command post with a display to which the image is transmitted is located outside the vehicle. The horizontal viewing angle is 3600, and the vertical viewing angle is from — 8 to + 1050.
Rafael (Israel) has developed a mobile round-the-clock reconnaissance system, Solid Mirror [29]. The system was developed on the basis of the Total Area Control System (TACS) and installed on a cross-country vehicle to combat terrorists.The system includes a radar, a TPV and a daytime TV channel.
The VMAS mast system, developed for the US Army, has the same composition. It has a detection range of a person of 3 km, a car — 6 km [30].
General Dynamics has developed a new reconnaissance armored vehicle (mobile command post) Coyote for the Canadian Army [31, 32]. The mast reconnaissance complex contains a radar, a day-night TV channel, a NODLR TPV channel, and a MELTUS laser rangefinder that is safe for the eyes.The complex can be raised to a height of 10 m, has protection against nuclear, chemical and bacteriological weapons [32]. Data from the optical-electronic devices of the complex is received in the fighting compartment of the armored vehicle using a fiber-optic cable [31]. The radar as a variant of the AN/PPS-5C (VSTAR) model is called AN/PPS-501 in Canada. The radar has three scanning speeds: 18 deg/s, 9 deg/s (field of view 1800 at a resolution of 10 m), 45 deg/s, can detect a tank at a distance of up to 12 km, a trailer at a distance of up to 24 km. TPV and TV channels can ensure detection of targets at a distance of up to 20 km in good atmospheric conditions. An active-pulse TV NVG LRESD can be used as a modification of the night TV channel. It is made using a pulsed laser semiconductor illuminator and a TV camera from Xybion Electronics with a vari-angle lens having a scaling factor of 27x. The TV camera contains a strobe image intensifier of the third generation Omnibus IV with a working spectral region of 0.65 — 0.85 μm, a TPV channel is installed on the TV camera, made on the basis of a photodetector unit in the form of a focal plane matrix of photodetectors with their number 256-246.
AB Wobe has developed the TM170 mobile mast system [33] (Fig. 4). The TM170/4.7-1.0 model has a mast height of 4.7 m in the raised position and 1.0 m in the lowered position, and lifts an instrument complex weighing 45 kg to the maximum height in 20 s. The TM170/10-1b9 and TM170/15-2.7 models have similar performance values of 10 m, 1.9 m, 70 kg, 40 s and 15 m, 2.7 m, 100 kg, 60 s, respectively.
Fig. 4. System TM 170 [33]
The Snezka mast system (OMNIPOL, Czech Republic) [34] is designed for detection, reconnaissance and tracking of targets. It is installed on a modified BMP-1 and measures the coordinates of low-flying targets, their altitude, direction and speed of flight, monitors large areas, computerizes data and transmits it remotely to the command post. The system consists of a daytime CCD-based TV camera for reconnaissance and target tracking, a nighttime low-level TV camera with a vari-angle lens, a TPV device, a laser rangefinder that is safe for the eyes, and a radar. All these devices are mounted on a lifting platform that can be raised to a height of 14.5 m in 1.5 minutes and lowered in 1 minute. The maximum range of the daytime TV camera is 7 km, the nighttime one is 1.6 km, the TPV device is 7 km (wide field of view) and 9 km (narrow field of view), the radar is 30 km for a tank and 26 km for a helicopter.
The Light Tactical Reconnaissance System (LTRS) by Kollsman, Inc. (USA) [35], mounted on a gyrostabilized platform, contains a third-generation TPR device, a vision-safe laser rangefinder, a low-level TV camera with a vari-angle lens, a GPS sensor, and a navigation module. The FLIR TPR device is based on a FPU in the form of a focal plane matrix of InSb-based photodetectors with a number of elements of 320×240. The narrow field of view of the TPR device is 2×1.50, and the wide field is 6×4.50. The detection, recognition, and identification ranges of a human figure are 6, 1.5, and 1 km, respectively, and of a small vehicle – 12, 3, and 1.6 km. The CCD-based TV camera operates during the day and at dusk, and has a field of view angle variable from 23×180 to 1.6×1.20. Electronic image scaling with a scaling factor of 4x is provided. With natural illumination of less than 5 lux and a narrow field of view, the detection, recognition and identification range of a human figure is 8.5, 2.1 and 1.2 km, respectively, and of a small car – 15, 4 and 3 km. The laser rangefinder ensures range measurement of up to 20 km with an accuracy of ± 10 m with a range resolution of no more than 30 m at a range of 12 km and no more than 50 m at a range of 20 km. Horizon angles are measured with an accuracy of ± 4 mrad. The instrument complex weighs 50 kg, power consumption is 200 W when powered from a 28 V on-board network. The mast lift height is up to 5 m. The system provides a panoramic view of the area.
Celsius Tech Electronics (Sweden) [3] has developed a mast system on a gyrostabilized platform with a horizontal viewing angle of 3600 and a vertical viewing angle of +35 to – 200. The system includes a TVP channel with a working spectrum area of 7.5–10.5 μm and two fields of view: 9×6.750 and 3×2.250, a daytime TV channel with a field of view of 16×120, and a laser rangefinder with a wavelength of 1.06 μm, measuring range within 0.2–10 km.
Radamec Defense Systems (Israel) has developed the Radamec Systems 1000 L mast system [3]. The system includes a TPV channel from Agema Infrared (Sweden), model Thermovision 1000 for the spectral range of 8-12 µm with a temperature resolution of 0.1 K, field of view angles of 5×200 or 2×80, weighing 7 kg, power consumption of 55 W when powered by an on-board network voltage of 22-25 V, a low-level TV channel based on a CCD (model HK 202-004) using a vari-angle lens that changes the field of view angle from 21×160 to 2.1×1.60, weighing 10 kg, a rotary device on a gyrostabilized platform with a horizontal viewing angle of 3600 and a vertical viewing angle from + 60 to — 300 at a viewing speed of 60 deg/s. The system resolution is 0.5 mrad, gyrostabilization accuracy is up to 3′, weight is 25 kg, power consumption is 100 W, the lifting height of the telescopic mast is up to 4 m.
The MCCS company (UK) has developed the VISTAR IM 405 gyrostabilized system, installed on a telescopic mast up to 8 m high, mounted on a Land Rover vehicle. The system consists of low-level TV and TPV channels. The working range of the spectrum of the latter is 8-12 µm. The viewing angle along the horizon is ± 1700, along the vertical ± 300 [3].
Thomson-TRT Defense (France) has developed the MOS 2 mast system. It can be mounted on a variety of civilian or military vehicles for use by police, special forces and forward observers. The system includes a TPV, low-level TV and laser rangefinder channels mounted on a gyrostabilized platform. This all-weather, 24-hour system is equipped with an onboard computer that automatically detects, tracks and maps targets [3].
The same company developed the RAPTOR (RAdar Plus Thermal Observation and Recognition) mast system [37, 38]. The system contains a PLS, TPV and daytime TV channels, installed on a rotating platform mounted on a telescopic mast. The system provides detection and recognition, respectively: a human figure: 2.8 and 4 km, a small car: 5 and 6 km, a heavy truck: 6.4 and 8 km. The TPV channel operates in the spectrum range of 8 — 12 µm, has a geometric resolution of 0.115 mrad, and a magnification of 12x. The radar with a range of up to 40 km and a radiation power of > 200 mW has a radio beam divergence of 4.50 along the horizon and 6.50 along the vertical. The system rotation speed is 10 deg/s, weight is 80 kg, power consumption is 168 W when powered from a 24 V on-board network (Fig. 5).
Fig. 5. RAPTOR system [37, 39] on a car
The Inframetrics company (USA) has developed a mast-mounted TPV device, model IRTV-445 [36]. It has two fields of view: 5.25×70 and 1.4×1.870 with a magnification of 4x and 15x, respectively, a geometric resolution of 0.45 and 0.12 mrad, a temperature resolution of 0.5 K and 0.3 K. The device uses a 4-element detector based on CMT with cryogenic cooling, operating in the spectral range of 8 — 12 μm. The weight of the device is 15.9 kg, dimensions are W230x625 mm, power consumption is <15 W when powered by 12 V from the vehicle's on-board network. The detection and recognition ranges are respectively: human figure: 6.7 and 1.7 km, car: 11.5 and 2.9 km.
The companies Krauss Maffei, Euromissil, MFN, MBB (Germany) jointly created the EPLA (Elevirable – Platform) anti-tank system [36], also intended for combating helicopters (Fig. 6, photo 12). The system includes a radar, combined with a daytime TV-gyrostabilized sight, a MIRA TPV sight (used for the RAN-1 helicopter), a wide-angle night vision device for terrain observation, an optical-electronic periscope with a gyrostabilized head mirror. The image is transmitted to a TV monitor with a resolution of 1242 TV lines. The crew consists of 3 people. The platform is converted to a combat position in 2 minutes, automatic lowering of the locking jacks and leveling of the system is carried out in 35 seconds, and the platform is raised to a full height of 13 m in 12 seconds. Along with the reconnaissance and targeting system, the platform also has the NOT ATGM. The mast with the system is mounted on an 8-8 LKW category 1A1 army truck. It provides a 360-degree view of the terrain. The range of action against a moving target is 1.9-4.5 km. Another version of this system provides for the location of the combat crew in the truck cabin with remote control of the system.
Rice. 6. Anti-tank system EPLA [3]: the system itself: 1 — supporting frame, 2 — microprocessor, 3 — radiator, 4 — night observation device control unit, 5 — sight control panel, 6 — mast raising and lowering control panel, 7 — life support system sensor, 8 — weapon control system unit, 9 — life support system control panel, 10 — periscope, 11 technological hatch, 12 — ATGM in a guide container, 13 — vertical angle meter, 14 — TPV sight, 15 TV periscope of circular view, 16 stabilized day sight, 17 — stopper, 18 horizontal aiming drive hydraulic cylinder, 19 — cabin life support system, 20 horizontal aiming drive amplifier, 21 TV monitor of circular periscope overview, 22 TV monitor of the TPV sight, 23 – fire control device (ATGM launches).
Photo 12. EPLA system installed on the truck
The company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (Germany) has developed the mast system BUR (Boden Uberwachung Radar), installed on the armored vehicle Dingo 2. The system consists of a TV camera and a radar with a range of up to 40 km, scanning in a sector of 1200 [40].
Mast systems are most actively developed in the USA. In particular, the company Martin Marietta (USA) together with the company SWISS Oerlicon (Switzerland) developed the system ADATS (Air Defense Anti Tank System). The system is installed on the IFV M3F 1 class Bradly (photo 13).
Photo 13. Installation of the system on the infantry fighting vehicle
Its optical-electronic module (Fig. 7) is installed on a gyrostabilized platform and contains a low-level TV channel with a vari-angle lens, a laser target designator-rangefinder based on a CO2 laser, and a TPV channel for the 8–12 μm spectrum. The range of the system is 12 km.
Fig. 7. Optical-electronic module of the ADATS system:
1 – TV channel,
2 – electronic signal processing unit,
3 – TV channel,
4 – laser target designator-rangefinder
GTE Sylvania (USA) has developed the ETAS (Elevated Target Acquisition System) system, installed on a 15 m high telescopic mast mounted on the M112 infantry fighting vehicle (Fig. 8).
Fig. 8. ETAS system by Martin Marietta (USA):
1 – telescopic mast,
2 – radio communication equipment,
3 – tactical situation display,
4 – video information display from TV, TPV channels and laser target designator-rangefinder,
5 – radar signal processor,
6 – on-board computer,
7 – TV channel,
8 – high-frequency locator,
9 – TPV device and laser target designator-rangefinder channel,
10 – radar
Northrop Corp. (USA) has developed its own version of the ETAS system. It is also mounted on a 15 m high telescopic mast (photo 14). This gyrostabilized round-the-clock system includes a TPV channel, a radar, and a laser rangefinder channel. The ETAS system's MMS (Mast Mounted Sight) sight mounted on the mast is installed on the M113 armored vehicle.
Photo 14. ETAS system by Northrop Corp. (USA)
The MMS sight by Mc Donnel Douglas (USA) contains a TPV channel based on common modules, a daytime TV channel, and a laser target designator-rangefinder (Fig. 9). The TPV channel has field of view angles of 3 and 100, the TV channel – 2 and 80, the system weight is 104 kg.
TRT (France, Germany) has developed a similar system, including TPV, TV and laser rangefinder channels. The field of view angle in search mode is 540, in aiming mode – 7 and 2.60. The detection range of a tank-type target is 4.2 km, its recognition – 3.1 km.
Fig. 9. MMS sight and its location on an army truck:
1 – sight,
2 – mast,
3 – TP channel,
4 – support column,
5, 6, 7 – protective glass,
8 – TV channel,
9 – laser target designator-rangefinder,
10 – gyroscope
The TADS system for helicopters in a mast-mounted version developed by Martin Marietta (USA) is called TAO-POLE. It is mounted on a modified M112 infantry fighting vehicle. The TADS system (Fig. 10, photo 15) consists of two subsystems: TADS (Target Acquisition Designation Sight) and PNVS (Pilot Night Vision Sensor). The TADS subsystem includes a surveillance and aiming channel, TV, TPV, (FLIR) channels, a laser target designator-rangefinder, an onboard computer and provides a horizontal view of ± 1200, and a vertical view from – 50 to + 300. The daytime channel has two fields of view: 40 (G = 15x) and 20.50 (G = 3.5x). The TV channel has three fields of view: 0.5-0.670, 2.4-3.20, 12-160. The TPV channel has a field of view of 0.9 – 40 during the day, and three fields of view at night: 1.6-1.20, 8-60, 40-300. The diameters of the entrance pupils of the objectives of the TV, TPV, and laser rangefinder channels are 203, 102, 102 mm, respectively. The laser rangefinder channel with a wavelength of 1.06 μm has a radiation pulse energy of 125 mJ and an angular divergence of radiation of 0.13 mrad. The PNVS subsystem is a TPV device for searching for targets and has a field of view of 30-400. The horizontal viewing angle is ± 900, vertical from – 45 to + 200. The range of the entire system is 2.7 – 4.5 km, weight – 192.6 kg, power consumption – 1637 W.
Fig. 10. TADS/PNVS system:
1, 2 – FLIR TPV channel,
3 – laser channel,
4 – TV channel.
Photo 15. External view of this system installed on a helicopter
For normal operation of the TADS system, mutual alignment of the optical axes of all channels of the system is necessary. Northrop Corp. (USA) has developed a device for adjusting the channel axes (Fig. 11, 12).
a): 1 – FLIR TPV channel, 2 – laser, 3 – receiving part of the laser target designator-rangefinder channel with visual control of the position of the laser illumination spot, 4 – filter for protecting the operator's eyesight from laser radiation, 5 – TV channel, 6 gyrostabilized platform of the TADS system, 7 laser radiation attenuator, 8 – prism, 9 reference reflective surface, 10 visual collimator, 11 – IR collimator;
b): 1 – alignment device module, 2 – radiation source (“hot spot”), 3 – dichroic mirror, 4 – germanium window, 5 – radiation output to the TPV channel, 6 – radiation input/output for the TV channel and the laser target designator-rangefinder channel, 7 – window with adjustable transmission based on photometric wedges, 8 – laser radiation attenuator at a wavelength of 1.06 μm
Fig. 11. Diagram of the TADS system alignment device (a) and its optical circuit (b).
a)
b)
Fig. 12. Relative spatial position of the optical elements of the alignment device (a) and the principle of its adjustment (b). a): 1 — target, 2, 5, 11 mirrors, 3 — beam splitter, 4 — laser tracking system based on a collimator with an LED radiation source, 6 — laser radiation attenuator, 7 — focusing mirror, 8 — window, 9 — input/output of radiation of the daytime TV and laser rangefinder channels, 10 radiation output to the TPV channel
The adjustment is provided by means of a CO2 laser and a telescope (Fig. 12b). The TADS system alignment is controlled by marks in the display field of view. These marks from all three channels must be within the tolerance field shown on the display screen by the corresponding contour.
In the United States, work is also underway to create a BMS (Battlefield Management System) and a Long Range Anti-Tank System (LRAT) in accordance with the unified concept of mast-mounted surveillance and battle management systems – EMS (Elevating Multisensor System). According to the BMS concept, the mast system mounted on the chassis of the M1A1 tank or M3 armored vehicle should include several TPV, TV and laser rangefinder channels linked to tactical situation displays. The LRAT system with a range of up to 10 km in poor visibility conditions provides for the installation of an ATGM together with an optical-electronic complex on the same mast.
Thus, a large amount of work is being carried out to create lifting instrument complexes capable of round-the-clock and all-weather operation.
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