Safran’s Paseo: new-generation optronic system for armored combat at IDEX 2017

Safran’s electronics specialist is showcasing its new-generation technologies and solutions, which will bring the extra performance boost needed for armed forces to successfully carry out their missions. This capability is clearly reflected in Paseo, a latest-generation integrated and modular optronic (electro-optical) system specially designed for armored vehicles: infantry fighting vehicles, reconnaissance and artillery observation vehicles, and battle tanks. With Paseo, users can now call on a single product that addresses the needs of both wheeled and tracked vehicles, including air-land surveillance, artillery observation and fire control.

Paseo consolidates Safran’s offering for vehicle-mounted optronic systems. This is a highly demanding market, and Safran brings to the table a number of advantages, including unrivaled experience over more than 30 years in optronics and inertial technology, used on both domestic and export defense programs, a favored relationship with both command and field units at many different armed forces, to quickly address their operational needs, state-of-the-art development and production capabilities and more, all of which underpin Safran’s contribution to today’s leading multinational and multidisciplinary programs.

Paseo combines very-high-resolution digital optronic sensors with high-precision stabilization of the line of sight. Featuring innovative operating modes, this new system delivers unrivaled performance in terms of surveillance, detection, identification and engagement at very long range, even under the harshest conditions of today’s air-land theaters of operation. The system also offers coupling between its optronic and inertial navigation functions, the only feature of this kind, enabling it to address geolocation requirements in tactical situations. This capability is reinforced by a unique real-time panoramic and sectoral surveillance function. Paseo’s modular design and versatility also meets the standardization requirement for today’s armed forces. Another strong point is that the new system integrates intelligence gathered during the deployment of a large number of Safran-equipped vehicles operating in a wide range of theaters.

Displayed on Safran stand at IDEX 2017, the Paseo sight has been in production since 2016. It was chosen as standard equipment on the future combat vehicles in France’s Scorpion modernization program. Safran has already signed contracts in both France and international markets for more than 2,000 Paseo systems – a clear sign of customer confidence in Safran.