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.
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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.
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