PAUL LEWIS / ORLANDO
Lockheed Martin has opened discussions with Eurocopter to offer the AAQ-30 Hawkeye Target Sight System (TSS) on the Tiger attack helicopter. It is proposing a smaller CATSeye version for Italy's AgustaWestland A129CBT Mangusta and the UK's Watch-keeper unmanned air vehicle (UAV) programme as it seeks to expand the number of applications for the third generation electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor.
TSS has been developed for the US Marine Corps' upgraded Bell AH-1Z, but avionics and structural development problems with the helicopter have delayed the first low-rate initial production buy to fiscal year 2004. In response, Lockheed Martin is seeking other applications.
Eurocopter is understood to be interested in the mid-wave TSS as a future Tiger upgrade or as an alternative to the Thales Avionics EO/IR system in international competitions. Tiger has been ordered by Australia, France and Germany and is competing against the Boeing AH-64 Apache Longbow for a Spanish requirement.
Lockheed Martin says that compared with generic second-generation longwave systems, TSS offers twice the detection, target recognition and identification ranges and, with the aid of image processing, this can be extended in XR mode. The system's longer range enables the helicopter to take full advantage of an anti-tankmissile's range and remain beyond the reach of most man-portable air defence missiles.
The planned AAQ-30(V) CATSeye is around half the weight of the 125kg (280lb) Hawkeye, while retaining about 70% of its performance and costing 30% less. The principal differences are a smaller 400mm (15.5in) diameter turret from Wescam, a narrower 150mm aperture FLIR with three rather than four fields-of-view and a black and white daylight TV.
Lockheed Martin next month plans to demonstrate CATSeye to the Italian army, which is considering the system for upgraded A129CBTs. The company also wants to offer Hawkeye and CATSeye for the UK's two-tier Watchkeeper UAV programme.
Hawkeye is also being offered as upgrade for current AH-1F operators, as well as countries looking to acquire some of the US Army's 250 recently retired Cobras.
Source: Flight International
