Press Release
Today, the Botswana Police Service signed a contract with Eurocopter Southern Africa for the purchase of three AS 350 B3 helicopters, together with mission equipment, to launch its newly established Police Air Wing. The Carl Zeiss Optronics LEO-II-A5 Extended Performance (EP) has been selected as the preferred airborne observation system. The LEO-II-A5-EP enhances and expands the aircraft’s ability to perform long range search and rescue, surveillance, reconnaissance, and other observation missions under all environmental conditions.
“We are ecstatic with this selection by Eurocopter and the Botswana Police Service, and continuously seek such opportunities to supply and support our unique, edge leading technology offered in this system”, says Mr Kobus Viljoen, MD of Carl Zeiss Optronics.
Neighbouring country Namibia is also in the process of unveiling its new Police Air Wing with the LEO-II-A5-EP also been selected as the airborne observation system to equip their AS 350 B3 helicopter.
The LEO-II-A5-EP airborne observation system is the system of choice for Police Air Support Units worldwide. It is used to enhance public safety and improve mission effectiveness. It continues a proud tradition of the LEO product family by supporting law enforcement operations through a multi-sensor payload equipped with the latest technology sensors.
The selected LEO-II-A5-EP configuration includes the latest generation 640 x 480 high resolution 8-9 µm Focal Plane Array (FPA) QWIP thermal imager with three Fields of View, a 3-CCD daylight TV Camera with a powerful zoom lens spatially matched to the thermal imager FOV, wide spectrum Spotter TV Camera with a dual colour and B&W capability providing close-in image magnification (0.35° H), video autotracker, searchlight slaving kits, and an eye-safe laser pointer which enhances the operational effectiveness by covert marking of points of interest.
This sensor combination provides the operator with best picture performance under all operational conditions, high altitude, long slant distance operation thereby enhancing safety and covert surveillance.
Carl Zeiss Optronics
Founded as a workshop for precision mechanics and optics in the German city of Jena in 1846, the Carl Zeiss Group is today a global leader in the optical and opto-electronic industries. There are currently 11 249 employees in the Group, of whom 3 300 are employed outside Germany. We have offices in over 30 countries and are represented in more than 100 countries, with production centers in Europe, North America, Central America, Asia, and now Africa. The company’s headquarters are in Oberkochen, Germany, in northeastern Baden-Wuerttemberg.
The owner of the Carl Zeiss AG is the Carl Zeiss Foundation (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung). The main aim of the Foundation is to secure the future of Carl Zeiss AG and SCHOTT AG (a precision glass producer). The Foundation also supports research and science in the fields in which the companies and their subsidiaries are active.
The Carl Zeiss Group defines as its most important task enabling science and technology to go beyond what human beings can see. “We make it visible” – is the corporate slogan, and the promise to customers to open doors that were previously sealed. The Carl Zeiss Group is market leader in the majority of its fields. It offers an extraordinary spectrum of leading-edge solutions and products for Semiconductor and Optoelectronic Technology; Life Sciences and Health Care; Eye Care; and industrial solutions. Sales in the financial year 2005/6 amounted to €2.43-billion (approximately R 23.65-billion).
Carl Zeiss Optronics is one of the leading providers of optical and opto-electronic products and services for defense and security.
As a business entity of the Carl Zeiss Group, Carl Zeiss Optronics sees its slogan, “We make it visible”, as an obligation to its customers around the world. To us, it is a promise to incorporate more than 100 years of experience in defence optics into technologically high-quality solutions and products for internal and external security.
We develop, manufacture and distribute a wide range of optical and optronic products and systems which fulfil the requirements of the Army, Navy and Air Force. They also meet the high demands of border patrol and domestic security. The ability to flexibly and efficiently fulfil customer wishes makes us a sought-after partner for international defence forces and border patrol units.
Editorial contacts
Carl Zeiss Optronics
Gilbert do Nascimento
(+27 12) 671-1099
[email protected]
