The U.S. Navy is ordering multispectral targeting sensors for the Northrop-Grumman MQ-4C Triton long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for maritime patrol applications. The Naval Surface Warfare Centre Crane Division in Crane, Indiana, announced a $23.2 million order late last month to the Raytheon Technologies Corp. Intelligence & Space segment in McKinney, Texas, for AN/DAS-3 Multispectral Targeting System (MTS) sensors for the Triton maritime surveillance UAV.
According to Raytheon officials, the AN/DAS-4 is the most recent variant of the Raytheon MTS family of electro-optical sensors, with improved fire control and target location accuracy for precise targeting coordinates. The Triton is a maritime version of the RQ-4 Global Hawk from Northrop Grumman.
This cutting-edge electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) system tracks and laser-designates Griffin and Paveway missiles, as well as all tri-service and NATO laser-guided munitions. MTS sensors provide a variety of field of view options, electronic zoom, and multimode video tracking.
Multispectral sensors divide images and video into several light wavelengths – typically three to 15 spectral bands – spanning the electromagnetic spectrum, including light from frequencies beyond the visible light range, such as infrared and ultraviolet.
By dividing images into different wavelengths, the sensor can extract additional information that the human eye cannot capture with its red, green, and blue receptors.
The Raytheon MTS"s eye-safe laser rangefinders are supplied by the L3Harris Technologies Advanced Laser Systems Technology segment in Orlando, Florida.
Raytheon has delivered over 3,000 MTS sensors to the U.S. and international armed forces, and 44 variants have been integrated on more than 20 manned helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
