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FINMECCANICA SELEX ES takes part at DIMDEX Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition

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DIMDEX 2014 Show Daily - FINMECCANICA
 
 
 
FINMECCANICA, SELEX ES take part at DIMDEX Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition
 
Finmeccanica, through its companies AgustaWestland, Alenia Aermacchi, OTO Melara, Selex ES and WASS, takes part in DIMDEX – Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition, which is held in Doha (Qatar) from 25 to 27 March 2014.
     
Finmeccanica, through its companies AgustaWestland, Alenia Aermacchi, OTO Melara, Selex ES and WASS, takes part in DIMDEX – Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition, which is held in Doha (Qatar) from 25 to 27 March 2014.
FINMECCANICA booths at DIMDEX 2014 International Naval and Maritime Defence Exhibition in Doha, Qatar.
     
Q: Welcome to DIMDEX 2014. Could you give us a brief introduction to Selex ES and your previous work in Qatar?

David Husband, Vice President Regional Marketing, Selex ES: Thank you, it’s a pleasure to be here. Thanks also to the Qatar Armed Forces for facilitating this excellent forum. Selex ES is Finmeccanica’s advanced electronics business. We offer a large range of defence, security and smart systems. In Qatar, we’re based out of an office in Doha and have been in-country since the 1980s when we provided Doha Airport with its air traffic control radars and command centre. Today we’re probably best known for current work providing all the major systems for the New Doha Airport which is well on track to become one of the world’s most integrated and forward-thinking ‘smart’ airports.

Of course there’s a lot more to Selex ES than just airports, we’re also leaders in a number of defence technologies including electronic warfare, electro-optics, radar, lasers and many more. The gulf region is an extremely important market to us and Qatar has a number of promising programmes in the works.

Q: What is Selex ES’s focus at DIMDEX 2014?

DH: This year we’re very much focused on our radar offerings, specifically the new electronically-scanned style of radars known as AESA. Primary among these is the KRONOS radar family, which can be installed on naval vessels or on land and combine the range performance and endurance of a surveillance radar with the precision, speed and reliability of a fire control radar. With a number of surveillance requirements, Qatar is a key target for the KRONOS system. Combined with SAM systems, KRONOS would allow Qatar to be fully in control of its airspace and deter or counter aggressors.

Q: Are Qatar’s maritime surveillance requirements of interest to Selex ES?

DH: Yes, we’ve got a significant interest here and we’ll be particularly promoting two systems at DIMDEX; the ATOS and Seaspray. ATOS, which stands for Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance system, is one of our most successful integrated systems for maritime patrol aircraft. We’ve got more than a decade of experience with the system with the Italian Government and the Australian Coast Watch also uses an adapted version of the system. We’ve even exploited the technology developed for the system over the years to create the skyISTAR, a mission management system for UAS. We’re now pleased to bring the very latest iteration of the ATOS to Qatar.

The Seaspray is one of our most popular AESA surveillance radars. In service with a number of demanding customers including the US Coast Guard, the Seaspray features all the benefits of AESA technology and brings to the table high-level capabilities such as a ‘small target detection’ capability. We see a perfect position for a system of this type in-country and we would like to offer the system to Qatar for its maritime surveillance requirements.

Finally, I must mention our Falco UAS. It’s the only European MALE UAS to have been exported and it recently secured a fifth customer in the Middle East. We produce the entire system from sensors to platform to ground control station, giving us a flexibility in the kind of packages we can offer to customers like Qatar. The UN for example is currently benefitting from the Falco which we’re operating under a service agreement, providing surveillance intelligence over the Congo. We’ll be promoting the Falco heavily at the show for coastal surveillance and border patrol.

Q: Are there any other particular requirements in Qatar that you’re currently targeting?

DH: There are several other programmes Selex ES is targeting in partnership with other companies. With Alenia Aermacchi, who we’re exhibiting alongside on the Finmeccanica stand, we’re supporting their campaign to offer the M346 Advanced Trainer to Qatar. Here we provide several systems including the trainer’s radar, heads-up display and flight control computer. With helicopter maker AgustaWestland, another sister company, we provide a large number of systems for the AW101 including the comms, avionics and electronic warfare systems. Because of this we’re strongly supporting AgustaWestland’s offer of the AW101 for Qatar’s maritime helicopter requirements.

Outside of Finmeccanica we’re working closely with Eurocopter on the NH90 helicopter, again providing a range of systems including the radar and mission tactical computer. Qatar is a leading prospect for the NH90 and so we’ll be helping promote the helicopter’s advanced electronic systems at DIMDEX. Finally, Selex ES is a major contributor to the Eurofighter Typhoon, where we provide more than 60 percent of the avionics including leading the consortia that provide the EW defensive aid suite, the IRST and the radar. At DIMDEX we’ll be on hand to support BAE System’s campaign for the Typhoon in Qatar.

Q: Post DIMDEX and outside of your defence business, what do you see as your biggest opportunities in Qatar?

DH: There’s a significant potential for our security business in Qatar. In the region there’s a growing awareness that sophisticated security solutions are required to protect critical national infrastructure such as oil and gas supply and production, ports and trade routes and homeland defence. This is especially true for Qatar given the country’s ownership of more than 15% of the world's proven gas reserves.

So there’s definitely an opportunity and we’ve got the experience here to match from our work on a number of major European programmes. Most recently for example we’ve been contracted to provide integrated security at the CommonWealth Games in Glasgow this year and also for Milan Expo in 2015 where we’ll be integrating a smart security operations centre. It’s an area of expertise we’re very keen to bring over to Qatar, not just for the country’s energy infrastructure but also for other major upcoming events such as the FIFA World Cup in 2022. For the World Cup, our experience securing the stadiums and athlete’s accommodation in Glasgow, combined with our huge range of technology from infrared cameras to complete unmanned air platforms, will make us the perfect fit.