07 Feb 12. Thermoteknix Systems Ltd has been awarded a prestigious contract to supply their ClipIR® Small Thermal Imager Clip On to the UK Ministry of Defence. The contract, secured in the face of stiff international competition, is for supply of an initial quantity of 180 ClipIR units, spares and accessories at a total cost of over £1.5m. The ClipIR units, compatible with most Night Vision Goggles and Monocular Image Intensifiers, are expected to be delivered directly to UK Special Forces frontline troops. ClipIR extends the use of image intensifier performance into total darkness and low light conditions. It features a full 40° Field of View with fusion of both thermal and intensified imagery and 384×288 thermal resolution for 40% more coverage than 320×240 based detectors and up to 4 and half hours operation from a single AA battery across a full ambient temperature range. ClipIR incorporates Thermoteknix’ unique patented shutterless MicroCAM XTi Technology ®, removing the need for internal mechanical shuttering or lens cap corrections and delivering continuous, uninterrupted thermal image from its instant switch-on. Thermoteknix’ ClipIR is designed and manufactured in Cambridge, UK and is not subject to US ITAR control. In September 2011, Thermoteknix announced a strategic territorial marketing and distribution agreement with DEP Imaging, Switzerland for ClipIR.
01 Feb 12. Izhmash unveils AK-12 assault rifle. Russia’s Izhevski Mashinoctroitelni Zavod (Izhmash) showed off its new AK-12 assault rifle for the first time in January. The new weapon – believed to be designated as an abbreviation of Avtomat Kalashnikova 2012 – is reported to be a replacement for the standard Russian AKM and AK-74 rifles and is understood to be a significant departure from the AK-200. It is to be offered in a ‘light’ variant capable of firing 5.45×39 mm, 5.56×45 mm and 7.62×39 mm calibres, and a ‘heavy’ version chambered for 7.62×51 mm NATO-standard ammunition. (Source: Jane’s, IDR)
06 Feb 12. Northrop Grumman’s LITENING G4 advanced targeting pod recently embarked on its first combat deployment with the Air National Guard on A-10 and F-16 Block 30 aircraft supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. The Air National Guard will use the LITENING G4 pod’s advanced capabilities to complete their demanding mission in a wide range of conditions while in theater. The LITENING G4 pod targeting and surveillance system provides unsurpassed imagery using 1K forward-looking infrared (FLIR), 1K charge-coupled device (CCD) sensors, and wider field of view and enhanced zoom which deliver more accurate target identification and location at longer ranges for battlefield conditions than previous generations of the LITENING targeting pods systems.
06 Feb 12. Physical Optics Announces SBIR Award for Helmet Embedded Conformal Augmented Display – Phase II. Physical Optics Corporation (POC) is a systems integrator of advanced technology serving military, defense, and homeland security markets. The company announces the recent Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award for Phase II of the Helmet Embedded Conformal Augmented Display (HECAD) system. In collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T), the HECAD Phase II award will provide two-year funding for continued work on an embedded “heads-up” display to increase personal situation awareness for emergency responders. The HECAD system is based on a modular design that integrates miniature commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) microdisplays and includes POC’s see-through, low-profile waveguide optics, and lightweight, wearable, processing electronics and sensors. The next development segment builds on the success of Phase I, during which Physical Optics Corporation provided tangible and practical see-through display results, including longwave-infrared (LWIR) sensor data in real time for demonstrating augmented reality capability, while consuming very low power.