Watchkeeper UAV
ST Electronics’ US simulation company, MÄK Technologies (MÄK) and Antycip Simulation have been awarded a contract by VEGA Group PLC to supply MÄK’s commercial-off-the-shelf toolkit VR-Forces to support the Watchkeeper UAV (Unmanned Air Vehicle) Programme for the UK Ministry of Defence. Under contract to Thales UK, VEGA will be responsible for managing the development and delivery of a training solution for both operator and maintenance crews for the Watchkeeper UAV system. Watchkeeper will provide the UK armed forces with an essential Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance capability, based on a tactical UAV system, and will be a key component of the UK’s drive for Network Enabled Capability.
“VR-Forces is a robust and flexible Computer Generated Force (CGF), making it the choice for many large simulation and training programmes like Watchkeeper UAV,” said Mr Marc Schlackman, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at MÄK Technologies. “MÄK is pleased to be chosen by VEGA to help meet the training needs of the Watchkeeper UAV system in the United Kingdom.”
Cubic is delivering its Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) for the UK Ministry of Defence’s WATCHKEEPER Program. Recognized as Europe’s largest and most extensive UAV program,
WATCHKEEPER will provide the British Forces with essential intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capability. Cubic’s high-speed TCDL will serve as the wireless connection for
transferring data and images from multiple UAVs to control ground stations. The WATCHKEEPER
Program, expected to become operational in 2010, is designed to meet UK requirement for a networkenabled capability.
The system will provide 24/7 surveillance in all types of weather conditions without the need to deploy
troops into sensitive or harmful environments. Cubic is delivering its data link products under a contract awarded by UAV Tactical Systems, a subcontractor to the Thales UK WATCHKEEPER Prime Contract Management Office. The TCDL offers speed, versatility and jam-resistance. Using commercial high-speed Digital Signal Processing techniques, Cubic’s TCDL encrypts, multiplexes, encodes, transmits, receives,
demultiplexes and routes the data to the platforms.
The surveillance platform for WATCHKEEPER is the Hermes 450 UAV. Designated the WK450, this medium-size UAV can stay airborne for almost 20 hours. The aircraft uses optical, infrared and radar sensors to observe stationary and moving targets in all-weather day and night conditions. Its real-time data feeds will offer commanders greater situational awareness and operational flexibility than existing British tactical platforms.
Key Features
„„- Ku-band CDL Transceiver
„„- 200 kbps to 10.71 Mbps
-„„ CDL Compliant
-„„ Internal Encryption
-„„ 2 Omni Antennas
Performance Characteristics
- Frequency Ku-band (transmit & receive)
- Standard CDL Compliant
- Waveform
- Data Rate 200 kbps – 10.71 Mbps
- Transmit Power 10 Watts
- Transmit Mode Full-duplex Interfaces 2 Ethernet Channels Analog Audio (input & output) Analog Video and Control (input and output) Encryption UK “Type 1 equivalent”
Physical Characteristics
- Size 14.6 in. W; 15.9 in. L; 7.3 in. H
- Weight 24.4 lbs.
- Power Consumption 215 W Maximum
- Primary Power 28 Vdc
- Vibration & Shock DEF STAN 00-35
- EMI/EMC DEF STAN 59-41
-Temperature -34º C to +50º C
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