Pakistan infiltrators watch out! Thermal imager just a touch away

BENGALURU: While the Indian Army has access to thermal imaging devices, courtesy the Israeli defence forces, the Indian Army, looking for a mobile, hand-held thermal imager will get its first look at just such a gadget at the Aero India 2017, which commences on February 14.

The remotely controlled day/night imager, hand-held thermal imager (HHTI) sights, complete with a laser range finder, will help commanders spot anyone moving about near the border from as far away as 5-10 km and tip off patrols through radio communication, thus providing advantage of time and distance to counter incursion or insurgency. “These systems will undergo field trials in border areas soon,” Col. (Retd) H.S. Shankar, chairman & managing director of Alpha Design Technologies Ltd, Bengaluru, told Deccan Chronicle. Each unit costs Rs 30 lakhs.     

He said his firm has also developed advanced LORROS (Long Range Observation and Reconnaissance System) with remotely controlled pan/tilt/focus features for surveillance along the borders. This, too, will be on display for the first time at the air show.

These new systems will help prevent infiltration of militants and recurrence of attacks witnessed on the armed forces at Uri and other parts of north India.

Besides, for the 'Smart City' project, a host of gadgets and technologies for round-the-clock surveillance, identification of terror suspects, a constant watch on their movements or their vehicles, including details recognition of the number plates, all of which will be coordinated from a central observation post, designed by this firm which specializes in defence and space related equipment, will be put on show at Air Force Station,

Yelahanka. "These systems will help monitor any number of terror suspects or their vehicles through networked cameras," Col (Retd) Shankar added.

He said Alpha Design Technologies Ltd will upgrade MI-17 helicopters in collaboration with Elbit of Israel and equip as many as 90 choppers with smart displays, missile launch detection systems, digital voice recorders, transponders and new cockpit. And Cheetah helicopters flown by the army aviation corps, which lacked protection from shoulder-fired missiles, will also be fitted with missile launch detection systems, he added.

In addition, an upgraded version of the Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV), complete with a thermal imager-based fire control system to support operations at night, will also figure among armaments and systems on view at Aero India 2017.