Thales launches new miniature intrusion sensor

Thales has launched its new generation buried passive ground sensor - the Miniature Intrusion Sensor (MIS) to meet future ISTAR requirements for battlefield situational awareness. The low cost MIS offers increased range and classification capability and employing multiple transducer types from a single sensor allows local data fusion. It is considerably smaller and lighter than a Classic 2000, with which it retains compatibility. MIS has an internal seismic transducer and will accept external transducers such as magnetic, PIR, Piezo-electric cable or make/break device.

The low power UHF transmitter typically provides 0.5km transmission range, with the data being transmitted to a local gateway or handheld monitor. Long haul relay from the gateway to higher command is possible via Classic 2000, conventional VHF radio, Satcom relay or via national infrastructure such as GSM or Tetra. MIS will initially be used for key point protection and within integrated sensor solution alternatives to anti personnel landmines. In future its use is intended to extend to urban warfare and individual protection equipment.

There are no external controls and MIS automatically adapts to the background environment. The installation of the battery activates the sensor and initiates a self-test and transmission status alarm. In using more than one transducer type MIS significantly improves target detection and discrimination and in future further vehicle and aircraft classification algorithms are to be implemented as upgrades.

MIS as a complete package includes integrated transducers, signal processing, RF communications, battery and an antenna. The sensor's ease of carriage is considerably enhanced and with significantly fewer system components the deployment time is greatly reduced. An MIS does not require pre-deployment programming and with data processing achieved in software, field upgrade is possible at any stage.

Cohn Robinson, director radio products at Thales Defence Communications, commented,"MIS is likely to see its first operational use as a supplement to the Classic 2000 sensor being fielded for Project NINOX in Australia. Elsewhere, the sensor technology has already met with success in both US and UK programmes."

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