Local company develops weapons analysis system for navy

21 September 2005 News

A weapons analysis system using specialised image processing and analysis technology, equipment and software, has been designed, manufactured and installed for the South African Navy by Thales Advanced Engineering, a Johannesburg-based digital video surveillance, data communications and image processing technology company.

The system enables the Navy to test and record the accuracy of its radar-tracking equipment with a specialised camera mounted on the barrel of a naval gun. The ballistic systems are disconnected and a target is tracked until the barrel points directly at it. The process is analysed by video to establish if the gun is at dead centre or another pre-determined point. If not, then appropriate adjustments are made.

Thales managing director, Dr Bennie Coetzer, says that for land targets, the shell bursts are recorded to determine fuse proximity while for targets at sea, the splash of the shell entry is recorded.

"The system automatically conducts visual analysis and target tracking. It allows easy computation of errors using a specialised software solution and a dedicated work station in order to make the required adjustments for pinpoint accuracy. The fundamentals of this technology also have many applications in the commercial security field," he says.

For more information contact Bennie Coetzer, Thales Advanced Engineering, +27 (0)11 465 4312, [email protected]

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