Thales launches next-generation threat warning system
14 July 2008
The equipment, which is at an advanced stage of development through a Technology Demonstrator Programme (TDP) jointly funded by Thales UK and the Ministry of Defence (MoD), provides enhanced situational awareness and survivability for helicopters and sub-sonic fixed-wing aircraft.
Elix-IR provides early warning and location of incoming hostile fire from guided missiles, machine guns, and ballistic and non-guided weapons such as rocket-propelled grenades allowing the aircrew to take effective evasive or defensive actions. Building on Thales' experience and capabilities derived from the Air Defence Alerting Device (ADAD) for the British Army and the PIRATE Infra-Red Search & Track (IRST) sensor programme to equip Eurofighter Typhoon, Elix-IR provides a superior capability against a wider spectrum of threats than any other threat warning system available.
Elix-IR offers a unique level of operational flexibility. For aircraft in current operational use it can either be used as an autonomous ‘stand-alone' system or it can be integrated into an existing defensive aids suite (DAS), operating in parallel with or replacing existing sensors. For new aircraft Elix-IR can be fitted as the sole or primary defensive sensor system, or be integrated into a complex DAS.
Extensive growth path options include exploiting the inherent image derived from the sensors to provide additional functionality - such as pilotage and driver vision aids - to substantially reduce the impact of ‘brownouts' for example. In addition to the joint development contracts with the MoD, Thales has development contracts with the French defence procurement agency (DGA) and the Australian Department of Defence to apply this technology to ground platforms for specific use in armoured fighting vehicle survivability applications. Elix-IR is also being bid into the MoD's Common-DAS TDP.
The targeted market price is comparable to current ultra violet systems, but with signifIcantly greater threat warning capability and future growth potential. To simplify in-service support activities the hardware components of the Elix-IR system have been sourced via commercial of-the-shelf technology wherever possible. It is anticipated that helicopter and combat support aircraft solutions will be available from early 2009.
Alex Cresswell, Vice President and Managing Director of Thales UK's land and joint systems business says: "By combining innovative thinking with proven technologies Elix-IR is an exciting new product that can make a real difference to aircrews in hostile operational environments. That is something of which Thales UK can justifiably be proud."
Thales is holding a press briefing on Elix-IR on Wednesday 16 July, at 1115-1145 in our Press Suite.
About Thales and Thales UK
Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group, addressing defence, aerospace and security markets worldwide. Thales' leading-edge technology is supported by 22,000 R&D engineers who offer a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical information systems. To this end, the group's civil and military businesses develop in parallel and share a common base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. The group builds its growth on its unique multi-domestic strategy based on trusted partnerships with national customers and market players, while leveraging its global expertise to support local technology and industrial development. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with 2007 revenues in excess of £8.3 bn.
Thales UK employs 9,000 staff based at more than 50 locations. In 2007 Thales UK's revenues were over £1 bn.
Press contacts:
Thales UK
Kathryn Bell
Tel: +44 (0)1932 824832
Mob: +44 (0)7813 903274
Thales UK, Land & Joint Systems
Paul Mottershead
Mob: +44 (0)7711 039095
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