The new HOT cooled technology developed by Leonardo’s Southampton office has improved the performance of the Linx visor in terms of the ratio of performance to weight and power consumption.
The Linx Cooled visor is a portable multifunctional visor used for target detection and long-range territorial monitoring. Designed to ensure efficiency in all weather conditions, it is composed of a HOT cooled camera and a Full HD TV camera – both with 10x zoom – an “eye-safe” Laser Range Finder, a digital magnetic compass and a GPS. An NIR laser pointer may also be integrated on request.
The visor’s most distinctive component is the Firefly core, a new concept of HOT Cooled camera that operates at a temperature of 160°k rather than the usual 80°k.
This technology permits reduced size, a weight of only 3.5 kg and lower power consumption, permitting more than four hours of operation – all of which are crucially important factors in man-portable systems. Its detection range is about 11 km.
Integration of a Full HD visible camera allows the LINX to detect laser beams even in the NIR band and permits use as a thermoscanner.
The multispectral visor operates in the Visible (Vis), Near Infra-Red (NIR) and Infra Red (IR) spectrums. The integrated GPS permits real time localisation of the positions of both the operator and the eventual target with precise, high-performing detection thanks to Laser Range Finder and Digital Magnetic Compass sensors.
Photos, videos and data of the target can be recorded during detection, viewed internally on two OLED HD micro-displays and sent via RS232, Ethernet, USB, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection. The Linx can be connected with a radio unit, rugged PC or other specialised instrument.
The Target Designation System version is currently being delivered for a naval contract, while work continues on development of a remote-controlled version for border and coastline surveillance.
It is worth noting that the technology allowing the Linx to operate as a thermoscanner is also employed in Leonardo’s devices for measuring human body temperature in the fight against Covid-19.