13 June 2022

Eurosatory 2022: Thales launches VisioLoc geolocation system for Sophie imagers

by Nicholas Fiorenza

Thales has launched the VisioLoc geolocation system for the latest versions of its Sophie handheld thermal imagers. Sophie Ultima is pictured here. (Thales/François Guenet)

Thales has announced the launch of the VisioLoc geolocation system for the latest versions of its Sophie handheld thermal imagers. The system is designed for use by land forces in high-intensity collaborative combat in any environment, even when no satellite signal is available, the company said in a press release embargoed until 13 June, the first day of the Eurosatory 2022 defence exhibition being held in Paris until 17 June.

The system can be used with the latest Sophie Optima and Sophie Ultima imagers without increasing the cognitive and physical burden on operators, generating target co-ordinates even when a global navigation satellite System (GNSS) is not available, according to Thales. The company described VisioLoc as “a disruptive innovation in the soldier optronics market”, generating precise geolocation co-ordinates and dispensing with the requirement for fire adjustment procedures that hitherto have taken up to 20 minutes.

When a section leader has requested fire support, VisioLoc reduces the time it takes for a target to be engaged by an artillery unit by a factor of three or four, Thales estimates.

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