German sensor manufacturer Hensoldt has unveiled its new local situational awareness system (LSAS) for wheeled and tracked armoured vehicles at Eurosatory 2018 exhibition in Paris, France.
To be used both as an upgrade and a solution for newly developed armoured vehicles, the LSAS helps in avoiding direct viewing channels as weaknesses in armoured vehicles, without reducing the optical reconnaissance capability.
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For asymmetrical threats, the system will enable soldiers to remain within the protection provided by the vehicle, with no loss of orientation or awareness of the security situation.
The LSAS has a modular design and each of its sensor modules covers a range of 97° and is fitted with a high-resolution daylight camera and two uncooled thermal imaging modules (UCM).
LSAS project leader Marc Krause said: “We also call it a ‘see-through tank’. The system can replace the human eye.
“Our uncooled thermal imager is already in use in a number of our products and is combat-proven. Optionally, a third UCM will be available with a smaller field of view. With this, users can recognise a person at 300m, even at night.”
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By GlobalDataBased on customer requirements, the company can provide up to six sensor modules per vehicle system that would help monitor the vehicle’s surroundings in an overlapping configuration.
The system’s open architecture enables communication with every human-machine interface (HMI) component, allowing troops to use monitors and tablet computers or head-mounted displays.
The solution’s Nato Generic Vehicle Architecture (NGVA) interface provides an option to make data available to other systems within the entire network of the vehicle.
External data from the vehicle’s network can also be displayed in the HMI through the same LSAS interface.
Combined with an intuitive HMI design and an NGVA network, the LSAS allows data available in the vehicle to be made individually available to all crew members.
While the first prototypes of the LSAS are slated to be available on the market from the end of next year, series production of the system is expected to be carried out in 2020.
