Elbit Systems said it has developed a new, high-specification sensor and targeting turret, and sold it to “an Asia-Pacific country.” The contract for SPECTRO XR systems is worth $90 million. They can be installed on fixed- and rotary-wing airborne platforms and aerostats, and also have naval and land-based applications.

SPECTRO XR is an ultra-long-range, day/night, multi-spectral electro-optical ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance) system that works well in adverse weather conditions, according to Elbit. It combines multiple cameras into one, to significantly improve performance without increasing size and weight. The sensors and lasers are fully digital, with a high level of stabilization. The modular design enables users to select the configuration best suited to their needs, both in terms of performance and cost. A wide variety of command-and-control interfaces enables simple integration of the SPECTRO XR with various other systems onboard, such as mission computers, radar, datalinks and helmet-mounted tracking systems. 

Elbit claims that more than 1,000 of its EO sensors are operational worldwide, ranging from the CoMPASS family to the high-end AMPS (Advanced Multi-sensor Payload System). Company president and chief executive officer Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis expressed his satisfaction with the latest contract, adding: “the variety of systems and solutions we have recently launched, represent a range of different fields of activities in which our customers worldwide have expressed interest.”

SPECTRO and the other Elbit EO systems compete with Western offerings from companies such as L-3 Wescam and Raytheon. Ironically, American money has helped with the development of advanced Israeli defense technology such as this. This week, the U.S. agreed to supply defense equipment and services worth $38 billion to Israel over the next 10 years. However, it is unofficially reported that the U.S. has withdrawn a concession from previous agreements, whereby Israel was able to use a significant proportion of grant dollars on local R&D.