Thales I-Master radar gets new maritime mode

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Maritime Moving Target Indication mode tracks small, fast-moving craft to larger, slower vessels, in all weather conditions.

Thales announced today at Farnborough International Airshow 2014 that its I-Master radar is now available with a Maritime Moving Target Indication (MMTI) mode. The new maritime capability, enabled through a software package, can be used simultaneously with the existing Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) modes.

Key points:

* Maritime Moving Target Indication (MMTI) mode tracks small, fast-moving craft to larger, slower vessels, in all weather conditions, day and night.
* MMTI mode adds to the already best-in-class Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) modes.
* I-Master is an easy-to-use, 360º radar, in a 15-inch gimbal unit weighing less than 30kg.

The choice of modes in a single sensor, together with its small form factor and high-performance capability, makes I-Master ideally suited for a wide range of manned and unmanned platforms.

MMTI allows users to detect and track targets on water: from small, fast-moving craft such as jet-skis; to larger, slower vessels such as ships and tankers, in all weather conditions, day and night. Algorithms designed specifically by Thales allow users to perform a range of tasks that include detecting unusual vessel movements, perform “pattern of life” analysis, and conduct persistent tracking of targeted vessels.

With MMTI mode, I-Master can now see the widest range of man-made movement, from an individual walking on the land to a ship sailing on the sea, and everything in between, using a single sensor.

The new maritime mode is designed for customers seeking to monitor maritime borders and exclusive economic zones, protect strategic maritime assets, and track the movement of vessels not using the Marine Automatic Identification System.

I-Master is a world-leading 360º radar sensor, easily installed in an existing 15 inch EO turret mounting point weighing less than 30kg. It is ideally suited for a range of manned and unmanned aircraft, both fixed and rotary winged. It is a high performance sensor designed within the demanding size, weight and power (SWaP) constraints imposed by smaller air platforms.

“We have taken our best-in-class I-Master radar and made it even better by adding a maritime mode through the addition of a software package. This allows our customers to monitor wide areas of land and sea simultaneously through a single sensor, making I-Master an ideal solution for airborne surveillance requirements,” says Eddie Awang, Thales VP in charge of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance business.