The unseen enabler in the connected battlespace
Soldier Modernisation MVS talks to Raytheon ELCAN about how optics will help soldiers win in any domain and against any challenge
Photo: © ELCAN
In aerospace & defence, optics keep pilots safe, help find and destroy threats and give soldiers a competitive advantage. In the connected battlespace, high precision optics are the unseen enabler helping allied commanders detect, analyze, make decisions and act faster.
Raytheon ELCAN is pushing these boundaries to support the integrated battlespace of the future.
“How can optics withstand higher thresholds of laser damage? How can they withstand higher temperature stresses or blowing sand at higher speeds?” said Mike Lewis, director and general manager at Raytheon ELCAN. “These are all areas where we're driving investment, looking at new capabilities from new equipment, new manufacturing processes and new design approaches to meet our customers' demands.”
Any domain. Any challenge.
Kristy Dalzell, associate director of engineering for Raytheon ELCAN discusses the technology road map and how it is strategically focused on enabling the connected battlespace now and into the future.
Raytheon ELCAN doesn't define the connection but we are ready and able to work with whichever protocols are specified by our customers. For our Specter DFCS digital fire control sight, our electronic design department has a robust tech road map that will ensure we have the capabilities to integrate communications and wireless telemetry as well as other advanced technologies into the platform driving the soldier as a sensor in multi-domain operations.
For larger platforms, like vehicles, sensor developments will drive requirements. Faster sensors will need higher resolution optics and multi-band sensors will need multi-band optics. We have the technology and capability to meet these needs.
The biggest shift will be leveraging more than just IR systems. Multispectral and hyperspectral systems will be important technologies and are therefore key IRAD focus areas for Raytheon ELCAN. With the increased focus on unmanned systems, leveraging our experience in other sensing modalities, like LiDAR, will also be critical in modern battlefields.
High precision effectors are also critical technologies within a connected battlespace. Raytheon ELCAN has extensive experience and continues to invest in weapon guidance and seeker optical technologies including complex geometries such as domes and optical coatings to increase capability.
High energy laser optics
High energy laser systems have to reduce energy losses - any defect can cause catastrophic failure.
Vertical integration and our optimized process chain make Raytheon ELCAN uniquely capable to design and manufacture these low surface-damage optics. We continue to invest in optical coatings to withstand high energy densities.
Targeting Systems
From man-portable weapon sights to platform-mounted turrets and multi-spectral and EO targeting systems, ELCAN helps warfighters precisely see, discriminate and aim at targets, in the most challenging conditions, for a decisive tactical advantage.
Space ISR
ELCAN reduces size, weight, power consumption and cost (SWAP-C) with high-performance EO/IR sub-systems that gather data, intelligence and information from space - without compromise, without fail.
The battle-proven ruggedization of Raytheon ELCAN optics cannot be overstated. The optics must perform and stay in focus, even in punishing environments including temperature and vibration extremes. ELCAN has a subassembly on NASA's MOPITT Terra which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year.
Weapon guidance and seekers
ELCAN delivers EO/IR sub-systems that direct missiles and precision-guided effects to successfully engage the right targets - whether moving or stationary - in challenging weather conditions and low visibility.
High precision effectors are critical technologies within a connected battlespace. Raytheon ELCAN has extensive experience and continues to invest in weapon guidance and seeker optical technologies including complex geometries such as domes and optical coatings to increase capability.
Infrared Search & Track and Infrared Countermeasures
ELCAN precision optical sub-systems can detect infrared signatures - for tracking and defense of military jet aircraft, helicopters and UAVs - and help pilots launch surprise attacks that evade radar detection and confuse enemy effects.
Cockpit Avionics
ELCAN gives pilots and platforms total control of the skies, with EO/IR sub-systems - from head-up displays to advanced sensor suites - that feed data into the cockpit to provide 360-degree situational awareness, and enable faster, smarter decisions.
Raytheon ELCAN, as part of RTX - the world's largest aerospace & defence company - is an optical centre of excellence in Canada.
Raytheon ELCAN designs and manufactures high-precision, platform- and sensor-agnostic optical systems to help our global customers see faster and further in any domain across the spectrum.
For more information:
www.rtx.com
