L3 WESCAM delivers EO/IR system for FWSAR
L3 Wescam has delivered its first MX-15 EO/IR system to Airbus Defence and Space in support of Royal Canadian Air Force’s Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue (FWSAR) aircraft replacement programme, the company announced on 27 July.
The system is the first out of 20 planned deliveries, which will support the Canadian Department of National Defence in replacing its legacy SAR aircraft, the CC-115 Buffalo and CC-130H Hercules, and the technology within.
The MX-15 features high-sensitivity sensors and advanced GEO and intuitive technologies that will provide SAR operators with day and night visual capabilities, despite atmospheric interference, and will operate with detection and identification ranges that will help to shorten search grid patterns and on scene search times.
Canada has a search area of 18 million sq km, making time-critical SAR operations challenging.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
UK MoD’s confirmation of MBDA missile for Type 26 points to more European collaboration
The Type 26 will also be fitted with the Sea Ceptor vertically launched air defence system that can fire CAMM missiles and a 24-cell Mk 41 vertical launch system that can fire the Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, anti-submarine rockets and long-range anti-ship missiles.
-
Second Royal Canadian Navy Joint Support Ship is on schedule to be launched mid-2026
While the first Joint Support Ship is currently in the final stages of outfitting, the second one is on schedule for launching next year.
-
Is South Korea finally being taken seriously for Western submarine programmes?
South Korean shipbuilders are beginning to make their mark beyond Asia, competing for major North American and European submarine programmes and becoming serious contenders on a global scale.
-
AUKUS Pillar 2 could narrow focus to “four key areas” says UK official
Few concrete ideas have emerged so far on which “advanced capabilities” will be brought forward under Pillar 2 of the AUKUS partnership, but the Pentagon’s review of the programme could bring more clarity.