One Of Five "Snap-On" Payloads For Hand-Launched UAS
Lockheed Martin says it recently completed a successful test
of a new infrared sensor turret aboard its Desert Hawk III Unmanned
Aircraft System (UAS), marking the first time a small UAS has flown
with a 360-degree infrared sensor.
Battle-proven, the hand-launched Desert Hawk III has provided
the British Army with critical Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The
small UAS (54-inch wingspan) is specifically designed to operate at
high altitudes, in high winds and extreme temperatures.
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Successful flight tests of the Desert Hawk III's new payload
offering, held September 23- 24 at the Minnesota National Guard's
Camp Ripley unmanned vehicle proving grounds, validate the UAS's
ability to greatly improve nighttime ISR for ground forces. By
providing 360-degree infrared coverage, troops obtain greater
target location accuracy and superior image stability. Combined
with an upgraded 360-degree color Electro Optic (E/O) sensor,
operators gained 10 times continuous zoom capability, significantly
aiding in contact identification.
"To assist the warfighter, we have miniaturized the infrared
payload, so it fits into a turret weighing less than two pounds,"
said John Nikolai, director of electronic products & logistics
at Lockheed Martin's Tactical Systems business in Eagan, MN. "The
E/O camera has been upgraded as well, for improved target
identification. With the introduction of these sensor capabilities,
users will experience vastly improved nighttime situational
awareness."
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Lockheed Martin's Desert Hawk III features an open architecture
environment and consists of a lightweight, hand-launched,
ruggedized air vehicle with snap-on Plug and Playloads, a portable
ground station and a remote video terminal. The snap-on payload
capability allows a single operator to swap sensors on the air
vehicle in less than one minute to meet immediate and rapidly
changing mission requirements.
Currently, the Desert Hawk III offers five modular capability
payloads for mission flexibility. The payloads include a 360-degree
turret with a mix of E/O and/or black and white low-light imagers,
an infrared stabilized imager in a roll axis out to 90 degrees, a
signals intelligence sensor, the new 360-degree infrared sensor and
the upgraded 360-degree E/O imager with continuous zoom.