Monaco. 10 August 2017. The contract with Zodiac Milpro, is valued at over USD 2million and was for the supply and installation of an expeditionary version of NIDAR command and control system and the complete sensors package. The NiDAR X (eXpeditionary) is to be fitted to a flotilla of 11m Hurricane RIB fast patrol and intercept vessels for an undisclosed special forces unit.
With NiDAR X installed, the RIB’s are transformed into a fully networked wide-area surveillance system, providing a shared situational awareness picture between each of the craft. NiDAR X is completely sensor agnostic so it integrates multiple sensors from each of the craft including; cameras, radar, sonar (optional) plus AIS, digital radio, tracker and transponder inputs to detect, identify and monitor unknown and known air, surface and underwater objects.
NiDAR X provides detailed threat and targeting information to the vessel helmsman and other operators, via innovative head up displays.
Any RIB can be designated as the command craft. The flotilla can either act independently as a high speed, high mobility surveillance/interdiction force, or via a dedicated high bandwidth digital radio system, share data with, or be controlled by, a command centre on land or a mothership.
Rob Balloch – VP Sales for MARSS said “As far as we are aware this is the first time a system of this capability has been fitted to any fleet of small tactical craft like RIB’s.”
Rob Balloch went on to say: “The latest generation of Zodiac Hurricane RIBs are incredibly fast, flexible and maneuverable platforms, able to respond at high speed to all sorts of threats. With the addition of these high-performance sensors and NiDAR, this flotilla of RIBs becomes a fully integrated tactical network able to monitor, detect and respond to threats over an area of some 200 nautical square miles.
NiDAR X is so flexible and can be installed on virtually any platform capable of carrying surveillance equipment, such as a tactical ground vehicles or small craft. It can integrate and share the data of all available surveillance assets including other patrol vehicles, craft, UAV’s, UGV’s, ruggedized tablets, body worn camera’s and even “smart” glasses.
MARSS see a whole range of other scenarios where this system can be deployed, such as; providing command and control for a fleet of vehicles to secure critical infrastructure, borders, an international event, sports meeting or conference. With NiDAR installed, these vehicles or fast water craft can even be temporarily deployed to protect a warship in a foreign port.
NiDAR X enables any operator to cost effectively upgrade any fleet of small vehicles, land, sea or air and all available sensors into a fully networked tactical surveillance or reconnaissance system. It is what the military call a force multiplier; giving small platforms big platform capability.
