European sensor systems company Hensoldt has unveiled its new See Through Armour System (SETAS) at the Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition (DSEI 2019), held from 10 to 13 September, with initial fitting and operating activities being demonstrated to the British Army on a Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) at the British Army’s Armoured Centre Bovington in July.
The Hensoldt SETAS system was first shown at DSEI 2019 on a General Dynamics Eagle 6×6. (IHS Markit/Patrick Allen)
SETAS comprises an Integrated Camera Module (ICM), which houses one to two high resolution optical cameras and two uncooled thermal imager modules. According to the company, the optical sensor can recognise a pedestrian at a distance of up to 300 m.
Crew members in the vehicle can then use a head-mounted display to observe the vehicle’s surroundings and utilise augmented reality (AR) systems, and software systems can be included to alert the crew to potentially threatening movement towards the vehicle.
The SETAS sensor is modular and can be used as a stand-alone or fully integrated system for the host vehicle. The camera modules can be readily swapped out if required and easily replaced in the field. To reduce blind spots, the company says that an ideal configuration is for six optical cameras and eight thermal imagers, combined into four modules.
Other sensors can be integrated into the SETAS environment to boost a crew’s situational awareness, including acoustic shot detectors, laser warning systems, and hemispherical cameras covering above the vehicle. According to Hensoldt, the system can be connected to a battle management system (BMS), enabling crew members to receive the best level of customised data for their role. The system has been trialled on an in-house BMS with AR technology also being tested.
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