Pakistan Army Cobra Gunship Helicopters to be Equipped With TSS

[Abbas Ali]

According to news sources, under a contract awarded to Lockheed Martin, Bell AH-1 Cobra gunship helicopters of Pakistan Army Aviation will be equipped with Target Sight System (TSS).

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

TSS



TSS is the multi-sensor electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) fire control system (AN/AAQ-30) for the U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter. It is a large-aperture midwave forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor, color TV, laser designator/rangefinder (with eyesafe mode), and on-gimbal inertial measurement unit integrated into a highly stabilized turret. The turret mounts to the nose of the aircraft via the Lockheed Martin-developed aircraft interface structure. TSS provides the capability to identify and laser-designate targets at maximum weapon range, significantly enhancing platform survivability and lethality.

Features

8.55-inch aperture, midwave staring FLIR with four fields-of-view for maximum image resolution and long-range performance

Multi-mode (point and scene), multi-target (3 image, 10 inertial), robust tracker with coast-through-obscuration capability

Gimbal stabilized to <15 microradians

On-gimbal inertial measurement unit for reduced image blur due to jitter and precise line pointing, target geo-location, and multi-target tracking

A multi-mode multi-target tracker

Advanced image processing for optimum gain and level, sharper imagery, and algorithms for enhanced recognition and identification range performance

High magnification, continuous zoom, color TV with field-of-view matched to the FLIR

State-of-the-art 640 x 512 InSb, low-noise-equivalent delta temperature, high-modulation transfer function detector with a high-reliability cooler

Versatile modular architecture for future growth

Source: lockheedmartin.com