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L3 WESCAM has announced the successful delivery of its first MX-15 electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) system to Airbus Defence and Space in support of Canada’s fixed-wing search and rescue (FWSAR) aircraft replacement program.
The on-time delivery of L3’s MX-15, the first of 20 planned deliveries, is a significant milestone as the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) begins to replace its legacy SAR aircraft, the CC-115 Buffalo and CC-130H Hercules, and the technology within.
“L3 is proud to partner with Airbus on this much-anticipated Canadian program–as it really hits close to home for WESCAM and its large base of Canadian employees,” said Matt Richi, president of L3 WESCAM.
“The aircraft and the technologies that support this program have been referred to as ‘game-changers’ for Canada, and we couldn’t be happier to be a key system in the overall solution.”
L3 WESCAM’s work with Airbus on this program is an example of the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy benefiting Canadian industry by requiring successful bidders on major defence contracts to reinvest the contract value in Canada.
Simon Jacques, head of Airbus Defence and Space Canada, said: “Thanks to the efforts of Canada’s high-performing aerospace companies like L3 WESCAM, the FWSAR program is L3 WESCAM Delivers First Canadian FWSAR EO/IR System Page 2 making excellent progress.
“We’re delighted to be working with them and very satisfied to see this latest milestone being reached on time.”
Canada has a search area of 18 million square kilometres, making time-critical SAR operations challenging.
The high-sensitivity sensors and advanced GEO and intuitive technologies within the MX-15 will provide SAR operators with exceptional day and night visual capabilities, despite atmospheric interference, and will operate with detection and identification ranges that will help to shorten search grid patterns and on-scene search times.
