The Israeli edge in combat proven combined systems

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When the international military market gets more complicated the Israeli defense industries have to use everything they have to successfully compete

Combined capabilities make it possible for Israeli companies to offer the potential clients packages of sensors and weapon systems , but not only.

The fact that integration has been made and tested in many cases in combat , gives the manufactures an edge when they compete on a contract .

One good example is the fact that the Rafael TopLIte optronic system is now undergoing acceptance tests on the Italian army’ s Mangusta A-129 helicopters.

It is aimed at serving as the main targeting system of this helicopter that will also carry the company’s Spike anti tank missiles.

Toplite, is a stabilized, multi-role, multi-sensor optronic payload, ifor  day/night observation and targeting.

Toplite enables observation, target detection, recognition and identification by the use of various sensors including FLIR, CCD and laser range finder. Toplite features both manual and automatic target tracking. The system includes the following sub-systems. The system includes a 3rd generation FLIR and a B/W or color CCD sensor.

The TOPLITE EOS can be integrated on and/or slaved to other control systems for receiving/providing real-time data and direction to other users, such as any C4I centers, Combat Management System, EW system, Radar, navigation systems, weapon systems, and others.

The TopLite is currently offered as a standalone system or as part of a weapons package that includes a member of the Rafael Spike missiles family.

But this is just one example for the way the Israeli manufacturers try to compete in the market that is being more and more complicated.

Sources in the Israeli companies say that by offering a package of sensors and a weapons system together with proven capabilities in real combat helps in many of the cases but does not assure the winning of contracts