ARGOS II HD TI Cameras to be Deployed on Aerostats
Hensoldt’s sensor technology will strengthen Frontex maritime surveillance in the Mediterranean and contribute to the protection of Europe’s strategic south-eastern border, the company announced on 26 August.
A technology pilot programme will see the company’s ARGOS-II HD EO/IR system deployed on two tethered aerostats, delivering extensive security surveillance.The project is operated by Frontex – the European Border and Coast Guard Agency – which has the mandate to safeguard the EU’s borders and ensure the freedom and territorial integrity of member states.
“This innovative technology offers Frontex the ability to monitor a very strategic maritime coastline and collect critical data. This is a capability that has been identified as a strategic priority by both the EU and the United Nations,” explained Andreas Huelle, Head of Hensoldt’s Optronics Division.
The ARGOS-II HD forms part of an integrated turnkey solution consisting of advanced sensors fitted to two aerostats, provided by CNIM Air Space, tethered on Greek islands in the Aegean. At altitudes of several hundred metres, the ARGOS-II covers a range of up to 40km and can detect both large and small vessels and monitor activities with exceptional clarity and detail. It is in operation 24/7, even in inclement weather. The continuous zoom thermal imaging camera records and transmits video and data in real time to base stations on the ground.
“ARGOS II is one of the best EO/IR sensors in the market today and will provide Frontex with accurate, real-time information on activities in the maritime environment and enable it to analyse situations and initiate respective countermeasures”, commented Mischa Niedinger, Director of Airborne Systems Sales at Hensoldt.
ARGOS-II HD can be fitted to fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, UAS and aerostats. It is used extensively in border protection, SAR operations, maritime patrol, law enforcement and asset protection. It is already widely used in security and surveillance environments, including by the German Federal Police, where it is deployed in anti-smuggling, illegal trafficking, and border security operations.
