A new dimension in tactical surveillance – ELM-2058 Ultra-Lightweight SAR

Image courtesy of IAI.

The pursuit of effective situational awareness has been a key factor in maintaining security during times of peace and achieving battlefield success in times of war as long as history itself. But it wasn’t until the introduction of the hot air balloon as an intelligence gathering platform during the conflict between France and Austria in 1794 that this crucial endeavor entered the aerial dimension.

The new ability to observe and detect from the air drove the quest to see around the clock, and through clouds, smoke and other hindrances. But as a whole, these capabilities went largely unanswered until the creation of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) by a team at the Goodyear Aircraft Company in Arizona.

SAR exploits the relative speed (Doppler shift) of objects in the radar beam relative to the moving antenna, performing a frequency analysis to create a large synthetic antenna aperture without the need for a large physical antenna structure. A Doppler image of the targeted area is processed to produce results that are similar, but not identical to that of optics.

Image courtesy of IAI.

Aerial reconnaissance specialists worldwide took notice of the potential for 24-hour, all-weather imaging capability and SAR became the focus of intense development effort. But it wasn’t until the advent of smaller, more powerful CPUs in the 1980’s that the availability of sufficient processing power finally enabled SAR to come into its own.

Today, SAR is able to produce astonishingly detailed aerial images and pick up features that even the highest resolution electro optic systems miss. As such, SAR capability is now an indispensable part of the modern ISR arsenal at the strategic and tactical levels.

A Center for SAR Excellence

Realizing SAR’s potential, IAI initiated ongoing R&D in the early 1980’s. Advances were made in both hardware and software, and today the company offers the industry’s most extensive range of high-performance systems, all of which benefit from its unique experience and capabilities, including highly evolved, proprietary processing techniques.

IAI’s SAR solutions cover a wide range of platforms and operational requirements, from space based strategic satellite reconnaissance, stand-off reconnaissance by manned and unmanned fixed and rotary wing aircraft, all the way through to the company’s latest developments, lightweight tactical systems designed for deployed from small UAVs and drones.

Image courtesy of IAI.

ELM-2058 Tactical SAR

The utility of drones on the modern battlefield is beyond question. These systems have proven to be of supreme value for situational awareness, targeting and attack, but their effectiveness in high intensity conflict is challenged by modern air defense systems. Size has proven to be a critical factor for survivability, with smaller, more stealthy platforms proving less susceptible to interception. But the capabilities of smaller drones are compromised by their restricted payload capacity.

IAI’s efforts to overcome this challenge are exemplified by the ELM-2058, an ultra-lightweight SAR radar that weighs only 2.5 kg and draws only forty watts. ELM-2058 leverages the latest electronic technologies to deliver powerful performance while minimizing size, weight, and power consumption. Literally able to be held in the palm of a hand, this cost-efficient, high performance system generates high resolution, close-range SAR images day/night and in all weather conditions, deployed from a drone or small VTOL.

Highly automated and with comprehensive onboard capabilities to support mission planning & monitoring, image processing, and data analysis & exploitation, ELM-2058 delivers detailed, real-time imagery to special forces and other military, paramilitary and civil operators in support of a broad range of mission profiles, including: target acquisition; border and strategic assets monitoring; counter terror; counter narcotics and smuggling; and area & infrastructure surveillance following natural disaster.

The radar can be supplied in either X or L Band configurations, the former maximizing resolution while the latter adding flexibility for diverse environments and weather conditions.

With its highly effective SAR performance and ultralightweight, ELM-2058 delivers the ability to quickly obtain crucial tactical intelligence at any time and in all weather conditions. The systems simple operation enables operators to be quickly trained to exploit the system to maximum effect. And its small size enables them to carry the system and deploy it in remote, difficult terrain. ELM-2058 Ultralight SAR opens a new dimension in tactical aerial intelligence gathering capability.