News
L-3 designating turret obtains qualification from Bell

The MX‐15D was tested extensively during live-fire operations at the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in late 2012, culminating in the very successful demonstration of laser target designation for the BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System® (APKWS) guided rockets. The MX‐15D proved to be a very capable sensor suite, giving the Bell 407GT sensor operator a superior tool for long-range target identification and laser-guided weapon designation.

“We are pleased to be chosen as a key mission option for the Bell 407GT helicopter,” said Paul Jennison, vice president of government sales and business development for L-3 WESCAM.

“The MX‐15D can be configured with up to nine sensors, which further complements the power and targeting capabilities of this highly advanced armed reconnaissance platform.”

“The MX‐15D gave us a very stable, long-range image,” said Mark Spencer, flight test engineer at Bell Helicopter. “With the different sensors – color, IR, low-light and SWIR – we found we could positively identify the target from a distance far outside the range of enemy small weapons fire. Additionally, during the APKWS testing, the laser spot was very stable and easy to hold onto the target, resulting in a perfect seven hits in seven shots. The GEO‐Pointing and See-Spot features also worked very well, leaving a grouping of impact points of less than two meters.”

L‐3’s MX‐15D is a multi‐sensor, multi‐spectral targeting system ideal for military operations, including medium-altitude covert intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, armed reconnaissance, CSAR and target designation missions. The MX‐15D is the only stabilized turret solution that enables customers to incorporate up to five separate digital imaging and four discrete laser capabilities into their configuration.