New Player at Defense Sensor  Industry

New Player at Defense Sensor  Industry

uncooled sensor

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India enters the uncooled sensor (microbolometers)  industry. The Mumbai-based Systems 4 Ever (S4E) will collaborate with China’s Dali for technology transfer and manufacture of these devices which have widespread use in the defense sector, for police, surveillance organizations as well as commercially.

“This will make us the fourth country in the world to manufacture this equipment after US, France and China, while Israel specializes in ‘Cooled Sensor’ devices,” S4E Chairman Raj Chodankar told IANS. Mahindra Defence Systems Ltd will also join hands in the venture, estimated to cost around Rs 100 crore, he added.

Earlier Chodankar said S4E has been flooded with offers from US, Russia, European countries and others as the niche industry for this critical equipment is expected to double to $3.6 billion in the next few years. “We will offer the complete range of thermal imaging and night vision products for use by the Indian defense establishment, police, surveillance agencies and commercial establishments like malls or corporate houses as security is becoming a big issue these days across sectors,” he said.

Presently, this equipment is imported by India at huge costs.

According to easternmirrornagaland.com, Chodankar said S4E has acquired technology rights and patents on an exclusive basis for weapons sights, uncooled thermal imaging systems and multifunctional hand-held thermal imagers. “Initially, we plan to manufacture around 800,000 units annually here, which we hope to double within a few years as the demands for the equipment is huge globally,” he said.

While ULIS of France is the second largest producer of microbolometers, FLIR of US is the largest manufacturer of this equipment, but both mainly cater to the local markets as their exports are restricted under the International Traffic Arms Regulation. Incidentally ULIS has an active presence in India and supplies its products to various security organizations here.