Roma 14 July 2015
Suitable for various platforms and easy adaptable to the customer’s operating requirement. The first application of the system is aboard the P.1 HH HammerHead Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
A flexible solution
The response from Selex ES to this operational need is called SkyISTAR: it is an open architecture, advanced integrated sensor mission management system, capable of responding to diverse threats that range from terrorist attacks to illegal immigration, protection of Exclusive Economic Zones, infrastructures and critical sites, and can be easily integrated on any aircraft.
SkyISTAR is mainly intended for medium and small size aircraft, particularly uncrewed UAS Designed to be used in intelligence surveillance and recognition missions (ISR), the system, which consists of avionics, ground elements and a console, the operator analyses the platform’s data and transmits optimised information via a data link to a ground station, or directly to the control network, taking full advantage of the performance of the onboard sensors, thus reducing the operator’s workload.
SkyISTAR provides user-selectable levels of autonomy, that allow the operator to use the continuous flow of data in the network (i.e."persistent surveillance") according to their own needs, to get the right information at the right time.
One system, unlimited solutions.
What seems like a simple slogan includes the essence of SkyISTAR that offers an ISR Mission system, scalable and configurable for a wide range of platforms; mission information integrated with technologically advanced sensors, designed for various mission requirements (radar, security systems, radio frequency systems, electro-optical systems, lasers, Communications Intelligence-COMINT, ELINT-ELectronic signals INTelligence).
A four phase spiral development strategy has been selected for SkyISTAR. It allows the deployment and field testing of intermediate prototypes and allows for changes, if required by the market.
Aboard the Hammerhead
The first application of the system is aboard the Piaggio Aerospace P.1HH HammerHead, the new UAV developed in partnership with Selex ES, that supplies the flight control and mission system.
The Italian Air Force will be the launch customer of the P.1HH HammerHead UAV. The Italian Air Force will acquire three UAV systems (plus three options) in ISR configuration, by early 2016.
SkyISTAR – Key Features |
---|
•Open, ‘service-oriented’ architecture |
•Easy system reconfiguration |
•Selectable levels of autonomy |
•Persistent surveillance |
•Interoperability |