Network-centric warfare, homeland security and economic exclusion zone (EEZ) control are some of the hottest areas of defence technology, and Italian aerospace technology group Finmeccanica (Stand A1233) is at Asian Aerospace to emphasise its systems-integration capabilities in them.
Finmeccanica companies Alenia Spazio, Marconi Selenia Communication, Telespazio and Galileo Avionica have developed satellite communications solutions and integrated border-control systems designed to meet both civilian and defence requirements.
Their SICRAL early-warning and secure communications system comprises a geostationary satellite with secure telemetry and command facilities and EHF, UHF and SHF-band communications payloads; fixed, transportable, manpack, land-mobile, air and naval terminals; and a control and management system centre. SICRAL is already in operation with the Italian armed forces.
For EEZ control, Finmeccanica offers a variety of airborne, maritime, satellite and land sensors designed to detect, identify and track targets.
The company's information-handling solutions can integrate data from both dedicated sensors and external sources, including port information, weather forecasts, satellite imagery and international databases. The solutions integrate existing customer assets and make them fully net-compatible.
Other major Finmecccanica satellite programmes include Europe's Galileo satellite navigation system and the COSMO-SkyMed Earth observation programme for the Italian space agency.
Alenia Spazio will integrate the 30 Galileo satellites, completing the first at the end of 2005, the next four by 2006 and the last by 2008.
COSMO-SkyMed is based on a constellation of four X-band radar-equipped satellites operating in low Earth orbit. Launch of the first satellite is scheduled for June 2005 and the constellation is due to be complete by 2007.
BRENDAN GALLAGHER
Source: Flight Daily News
