Elbit Systems has developed a new mini Unmanned Aircraft System ‘Skylark’ for Tactical Naval and Maritime Applications.
The system features a waterproof and floating air vehicle that provides even small vessels a unique organic offboard surveillance capability that can be deployed and retrieved in less than 15 minutes, the company announced Monday.
Based on the Skylark I Mini UAS, the new Skylark C transforms and extends the operational capabilities of its land-based counterpart into an organic maritime Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) asset.
As a maritime vessel organic asset, Skylark C provides the capabilities to inspect maritime activities from a safe distance, provides bird’s eye view of target, perform reconnaissance over coastal areas and perform continuous covert surveillance, thus extending the vessel’s ISR capabilities with respect to range, rate and quality of information obtained.
Mission effective, with autonomous flight capability, Skylark C incorporates an electrically-propelled air vehicle with a very low visual and acoustic signature, making it a suitable for covert operations such as special naval operations, border security, anti-terrorism and anti-piracy operations.
The aerial vehicle utilizes the company's UAS technology and know-how, featuring an advanced inertial navigation system (INS) and a stabilized electro-optical (EO) payload with a high resolution thermal imager and color daylight camera that enables continuous day/night monitoring in diverse weather conditions.
During the mission, high quality day or night video is available in real time in the MCS. The operator focuses on the mission rather than on flying the vehicle, applying convenient and effective control features such as fly-by-camera. Retrieval of the UAS after the mission is enabled through the use of a unique fully autonomous parachute-based recovery, allowing the lightweight waterproof air vehicle to safely glide, land and float on water surfaces guided by GPS. A net recovery on deck is an optional capability. The entire process – from recovery to next launch– takes no longer than 15 minutes. Only two operators are required to operate the system.
“Until recently, the ability to achieve real-time maritime situational awareness and ISTAR capabilities in a short period of time and with minimal resources remained a significant gap,” commented Elad Aharonson, General Manager of Elbit Systems ISTAR Division.
“Now, with Skylark C, small-scale naval crews, such as special operations forces and coast guard patrols, can capture mission-critical information using a truly intuitive and organic system, and as a result significantly improve their operational effectiveness.” he added.
Elbit Systems has been awarded contracts, in a total amount of approximately $30 million, to supply advanced thermal-imaging observation systems to a country in Europe. The systems will serve all army command levels, from the dismounted soldier to the headquarters command and will be supplied over a one-year period
Elbit Systems has won an approximate $19 million contract from Uruguay to set up more than 1000 cameras, sensors across six municipal authorities under the ‘Safe District project. The Safe District project will include more than 1000 cameras and sensors, including vehicle traffic control, laid out at strategic standpoints
Elbit Systems has unveiled GroundEye, a line of systems for ground-based wide-area, focused and persistent surveillance at the Israel HLS & Cyber Conference, taking place this week in Tel Aviv. The line of systems provides situational awareness of “on-the-ground” data and conditions, and enables a large number of users to receive real time, high-resolution imagery and even go “back-in-time” for border protection, facilities and tactical infrastructure security, counter-terrorism and other purposes, the company said in a statement Tuesday
Elbit Systems of America has won a $7.3 million contract to supply Bradley Fighting VehicleGunners Hand Station to US Army
Elbit Systems of America has planned to display Common Laser Range Finder-Integrated Capacity (CLRF-IC) during Modern Day Marine, held from September 27 to 29, 2016. CLRF-IC gives dismounted Marines a handheld targeting system that integrates a rangefinder, day and night cameras, GPS, and celestial positioning precision to Forward Observers, the company announced in a statement today
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