Mass Media Overview
Night vision for Russian Army vehicles
24.10.2008 11:32
Defense technologies/ 2008, vol. 7, N2
Thales's partnership with Russian industry in optronics started out 10 years ago when the company launched a joint engineering project with vehicle manufacturers to incorporate the Catherine FC infrared camera in sights built by Belarusian firm Peleng. Overseen by Russian defence agency Rosoboronexport, this partnership was subsequently expanded to include export markets for both land vehicles and aircraft, such as the Sukhoi 30 equipped with Thales's Damocles laser designation pod for Malaysia.
World standard
Catherine FC has emerged as the world standard in thermal imagers for armoured vehicles, offering a compact solution and excellent performance on the battlefield. Nearly 4,500 cameras have been ordered worldwide - more than 1,000 of them to Rosoboronexport for the T80, T90 and BMP3 vehicles sold in numerous export markets. Catherine FC is qualified to operate on most Russian armoured vehicles to provide them with a night-fighting capability. The crowning achievement of the cooperation came last year when Rosoboronexport awarded Thales a contract to supply 100 cameras for the Russian Army's tanks, a world first for a western-built system. Buoyed by recent successes, Russian industry has excellent prospects ahead of it in the coming years, both for new vehicles and retrofitting vehicles already in service. Thales is proud to be a part of this journey, and is currently proposing its very latest infrared technologies for gunner and panoramic sights.
New maintenance centre
Dedicated to preventive maintenance and repairs for Catherine FC cameras operating on Russian Army armoured vehicles, a new maintenance centre designed to meet users' availability requirements is scheduled to open in Vologda this October. The strategic partnership between Thales and Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant - a leading supplier of optical systems in Russia - will bring Russian industry greater independence in providing through-life support for high-tech optical equipment. The maintenance centre is the first step in an ambitious project aimed at jointly developing cutting-edge infrared technologies with Russian industry. Stronger ties with Russian industry are perfectly aligned with the Thales strategy of multidomestic development, which is progressively consolidating the company's in-country industrial operations and its role as a local technology provider. The planned technology transfers will guarantee Russian industry's independence and develop its expertise in key infrared technologies for the benefit of France and Russia alike.