Metronor’s Next-Generation Boresight System to Replace Hawk Legacy Boresight System

Published: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 23:00

(Metronor AS: Nesbru, Norway) -- BAE Systems has awarded Metronor AS an additional Harmolign boresight system contract. The contract covers development and supply of a new configuration of the Harmolign boresight system for BAE Systems’ Hawk jet trainer. The system will replace a legacy boresight solution with an existing Hawk operator, and will also be applicable for a number of other marks of Hawk trainers in use with air forces around the world.

This order brings total HarmoLign orders well past $6 million US and is another confirmation of the system’s capability to meet the tough operational and life-cycle cost requirements of the customers.

The HarmoLign system was originally developed under contract with BAE Systems. The system is based on Metronor’s patented electro-optical technology, and has been designed to provide the most flexible, capable, and affordable harmonization system available in the market. Providing on-screen type-specific graphical operator guidance—eliminating the need for operator training—and requiring no scheduled maintenance or calibration, the system has very low life-cycle costs. Although the system shares key technology with Metronor’s proven range of industrial geometry measurement systems, the Harmolign system has been engineered from the ground up to meet all applicable military standards and requirements. The system can readily and affordably be adapted to a very wide range of weapon system platforms, as well as for alignment of civil aviation sensors/systems. Although originally developed for measurement of roll-, pitch-, and yaw-offsets only, the system can also be used for accurate determination of position. As such the system provides full six degrees of freedom (6DOF) capability, applicable for alignment/harmonization of optical helmet tracker systems and other weapon system sensors requiring 6DOF alignments.

“The recent order is another proof that Metronor’s Harmolign system has become the preferred boresight system for BAE Systems’ Hawk series aircraft. This order also clearly indicates that HarmoLign is a cost-effective solution also when it comes to replacing existing legacy boresight systems around the world,” states Errol Henriksen, vice president of Metronor’s Military Systems Business Unit.

“Together with the ongoing development of a HarmoLign system for 6DOF alignment of the Gripen helmet tracker system and promising future HarmoLign prospects, both in the military and civilian aviation sectors, this recent contract demonstrates the competitiveness and versatility of our HarmoLign technology,” Henriksen adds.

For more information, visit www.metronor.com.

About The Author

Metronor

Metronor AS is an international high technology company headquartered outside Oslo, Norway, with subsidiaries in Seattle and Beijing. Based on in-house innovation, research, and its core photogrammetric technology, Metronor has developed a range of portable electro-optical coordinate measuring systems. It also offers products and solutions for boresighting applications in the military business area. Through a joint initiative with the Boeing Co., Metronor provides state-of-the-art dimensional management solutions for complex assembly programs.