Thales sight completes trials
Christopher F Foss
Thales Optronics (Land and Joint Systems) is demonstrating its latest gunner’s sight, STAG Dual Axis (DA), on Outdoor Stand 170, which is being marketed at a number of new and upgrade armoured vehicle applications in the Middle East and
elsewhere.
STAG DA is derived from the Battle Group Thermal Imaging (BGTI) gunner’s sight that was developed by the company and is
now operational with the British Army on its Warrior infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) and Scimitar reconnaissance vehicle. This thermal sight replaced the obsolete image intensification sights previously fitted. The new STAG DA sight remains unchanged under armour and therefore retains a significant amount of commonality with the current BGTI sight.
The key upgrade in the latest sight is the incorporation of a dual axis gyro stabilised sight head that supports fire on the move engagements. The new sight is interchangeable with the in-service BGTI sight head and, according to the company, offers an early upgrade path under UK MoD funding.
Recently the STAG DA has been integrated with the CTA International Case Telescoped Weapon System and installed in a British Army Warrior IFV chassis under the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) Manned Turret Integration Programme (MTIP). This funded two year programme culminated in successful fire on the move against stationary and moving targets during
a three-month period that ended in January this year. It was manned by a British Army crew from the Infantry Trials and Development Unit.
It should be noted that even though the UK funded the MTIP programme, the DPA is running a competition for the Warrior Lethality Improvement Programme, which has a potential value of about £500m.
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