For the first time, a weapon platform will be equipped with Hensoldt's SETAS (See Through Armor System) all-round vision system. As the company announced on March 1, KNDS-Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) has ordered 54 SETAS systems for integration into the RCH 155 wheeled howitzer. The order value is in the double-digit million euro range.
Ukraine will receive a total of 36 RCH 155s - financed by the Federal Government's training initiative. Germany has a need for equipping the medium-sized forces that has not yet been publicly specified in terms of numbers. A 25 million euro proposal to release financing from the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag is expected this year.
Hensoldt describes SETAS as a high-performance day and night observation system for armored vehicles of all types. The high-resolution electro-optical vision system gives every crew member the opportunity to obtain full visual situational awareness 360 degrees around the vehicle from inside the vehicle. Threats can be identified and classified early and reliably within their radius of action. The modular system includes two powerful sensor systems: high-resolution color daylight cameras and uncooled thermal imaging cameras.
“With the initial integration, we are equipping our customers and users with a revolutionary sensor solution in the area of all-round visibility,” says Tanya Altmann, Head of Optronics & Land Solutions at Hensoldt. The system achieves its full potential when it is connected to the vehicle network and the battle management system, Altmann continued. Using AI-supported sensor fusion, crew members are offered the best possible information sovereignty.
In a further configuration step, Hensoldt offers to improve the observation capabilities of SETAS through integrated automatic image processing functions such as Moving Target Indication (MTI), object tracking and other modes. This relieves the crew of having to deal with the large amount of image data for personal 360-degree situation recognition. Thanks to its modularity and open interface architecture (conforms to the NATO Generic Vehicle Architecture NGVA), this observation system can be easily integrated into any new or existing vehicle. The interface allows full integration or standalone operation by supporting any type of HMI (Human Machine Interface) (standard or smart display, smart glasses, tablet, etc.).
Using a helmet-mounted display as an HMI, Hensoldt says a crew member inside the vehicle can virtually see through the armor, achieving the same orientation as when observing “from above.” Intelligent software algorithms automatically alert the crew when potentially threatening movement is detected within the radius of the vehicle. SETAS can be installed as an independent system and thus provide the crews of both established platforms and new systems with significantly increased situational awareness.
Editorial staff / gwh