Thales launches its' next-gen COMINT

Thales has announced the launch of its new-generation range of COMINT & EW services, systems and equipments called Q (Communications Intelligence & Electronic Warfare).

The CIEW family is primarily designed to meet the current defence and security threats while delivering information dominance and enabling Command & Control operations on the digitised battlespace.

Under the Q brand, the CIEW family includes the global know-how of Thales to design and deliver COMINT & EW solutions tailored to the missions and operational environments of defence and security users, respectively named Intelligence Q, Land Q and Naval Q.

Q mission packages rely on the same core equipment capabilities for interception, analysis, direction-finding and Command and Control warfare or force protection, which can be tailored to fulfil each user's operational environment.

- Land Q is a range of tactical electronic support and electronic attack solutions tailored to army tactical users. It is designed to target the current and near-term communication signals of airland engagement.

- Naval Q is a range of electronic support and electronic attack solutions tailored to maritime tactical users, either on littoral or onboard combat ships. It is designed to target the current and near-term communications environment of littoral and naval operations.

- Intelligence Q is a range of strategic intelligence gathering solutions for national or joint users. It is designed to meet the current and near-term communications signals of the homeland defence, border monitoring and national security environments.

Source: Thales

UAE to get deployable tactical internet

After an international competition Thales has been selected to supply the United Arab Emirates with military capable, deployable, multimedia IP services.

The Zagil solution, based on IP standards and Wimax technology, demonstrates Thales' ability to develop solutions from civil products and technologies. This large use of COTS and the development of an active policy of Transfer of Technology, along with a highly performing offer, are the key elements of Thales' international successes in tactical networks. Today, in addition to UAE, clients of Thales' tactical communication solutions include France, Switzerland, the UK, and Austria.

The core of the Di@ne/IP system is the IPS (IP-Services) software suite which comes on top of standard IP equipment and features subscriber mobility, military quality of service, and efficient networking as a perfect answer to operational military communication requirements.

Including a very new secured IEEE 802.16 Wimax technology, this network solution will provide to users a broadband wireless IP access even on the move.

The main transmission media of Di@ne is the TRC 4000 Microwave Radio Relay operating in NATO Band IV (4.4 to 5.0 GHz) and providing secured 34 Mbps high data rate transmission links. Its integrated planel antenna and its split design offers low wind resistance, flexible deployment and quick setup and teardown.

The TRC 4000 radio is fielded in operational service with numerous armed forces, most notably in France, Switzerland, and TRC 4000 34 Mbps is currently under delivery for FALCON in UK, PTPRS in Austria and of course Zagil in the Emirates.

Di@ne also provides Automatic integration of PR4G/Fastnet combat radios offering both radiotelephony and efficient data networking on the battlefield using high secure but sometimes bandwidth constrained military radios.

Source: Thales

Dingos for Luxembourg

Luxembourg will purchase 48 DINGO 2s from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW). The vehicles are destined for the Army's reconnaissance companies and will come equipped with a mast system and electronics and optics from Thales.

The DINGO 2 has a range of 1000 km, a top speed of approximately 90 km/h and holds a crew of 8. It is protected by significant amour and a Kongsberg remote-operated turret. The vehicle can be transported in C160 Transall, C130 Hercules and A400M aircraft.

The contract will be coordinated through NATO's Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) with Thales as the prime. Luxembourg will now share platform commonalities with Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Germany.

Source and Photo: KMW

Thales opens EW lab in Leicester

Thales UK today announces the opening of its new Joint Electronic Warfare Experimentation Laboratory (JEWEL). The JEWEL laboratory combines a fully operational Electronic Warfare Operation Centre (EWOC) to provide a complete simulation of land electronic warfare (EW) scenarios, support tools and mission planning and reporting.

Its ability to simultaneously simulate up to nine sensors, including two live sensors, allows Thales to demonstrate the capability and flexibility of sensor remote control. This will enable customers to carry out training and operational modelling of the battlespace under realistic conditions.

"The JEWEL is an extremely powerful tool and a breakthrough in our research, development and testing capability," says Richard Deakin, Managing Director of Thales' aerospace business in the UK. "It allows us to work hand in hand with our customers to model, test and refine their land EW operational requirements, thereby leading to refined solutions that save development time and - crucially - reduce costs."

The laboratory adds to Thales' impressive EW capability. In the UK alone more than 400 people are dedicated to the research, development and delivery of Thales' integrated EW systems.

Long-term plans include the ability to link the JEWEL with Thales' existing Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition And Reconnaissance (ISTAR) Theatre in Crawley to conduct even more extensive modelling and simulation exercises.

Source: Press Release

Australia launches new defence materials tech centre

"Warren Snowdon MP, Minister for Defence Science ... announced the establishment of an $82 million Defence Materials Technology Centre - to drive innovation in Defence technology."

"The Centre will deliver improved armour protection for military personnel carriers - vital for the protection of Australian troops deployed around the world - and new high-tech materials for use in major Defence acquisitions such as the Joint Strike Fighter," Mr Snowdon said.

"The Centre will primarily be located in Victoria and will receive Australian Government funding of $30 million and a further $52 million from the collaborative partners. These partners include major companies such as BAE Systems Australia, GKN Aerospace, BlueScope Steel, Surface Technology Coatings, Thales Australia and the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures."

Source: DoD, Australia