Thales: launches VisioLoc®, geolocation meeting the requirements of high-intensity combat

• Interested in this topic ? Come and meet us at the Thales Pavilion at Eurosatory for a Press Tour dedicated to dismounted combatant optronics (Sophie, VisioLoc and XTRAIM), Monday June 13 from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Tuesday June 14 from 9:00 a.m. 3:30 p.m.
• VisioLoc^® provides land forces with the capability extract coordinatesgeolocation precisely whatever the conditions, even without a satellite signal.
• VisioLoc^® embedded in the Sophie Optima and Ultima binoculars provides tactical and specialist leaders with a unique ability to fight in hostile environments while meeting the challenges of compactness and load reduction.
• VisioLoc functionality^® combined with the collaborative and cybersecure capabilities of the Sophie Optima and Ultima binoculars opens wearable optronics era of high intensity collaborative combat.

The acceleration of the OODA (Observe – Orient – Decide – Act) decision loop is a decisive operational superiority factor in high intensity combat. In order to improve the performance of the augmented soldier without altering his cognitive and physical load, Thales is launching VisioLoc®. This functionality integrated into the Sophie multifunction binoculars offers the capability of positioning in denial of service GNSS¹ and extraction of precise coordinates.

It is 5:48 a.m., the darkness persists but before long, rays of sun will come to dissipate the darkness of the theater of operation, a non-permissive environment where the soldier has been working for several hours to counter the jamming attacks of the enemy. Suddenly, an infantry platoon leader distinguishes in the dark an enemy tank which is stationed in front of him. We cannot wait, we must act. With his Sophie Optima thermal binoculars with VisioLoc®, he carries out the positive identification of the objective, by simple actions, he precisely extracts the coordinates of the objective despite the absence of GNSS signals and sends his request for support. Thanks to the precision of geolocation, this is processed directly by the artillery unit which immediately engages its firepower to support the unit in contact.

On the combat optronics market, VisioLoc® is a breakthrough innovation. Thanks to its precise coordinate extraction, VisioLoc^® makes the shooting adjustment phase unnecessary, which can currently sometimes take 20 minutes, thus dividing by three or even four the time between the request for supportby the tactical leader and the commitment of the artillery unit. In high-intensity combat, this time saving is decisive for force protection and effectiveness against the enemy.

VisioLoc® offers specialized and contact leaders (platoon / section) in portable equipment weighing less than 3 kg a very precise geolocation function, including in the event of enemy jamming. With simple and quick implementation (less than four minutes) on a tripod or by hand, VisioLoc® is the most efficient solution ever equaled on the market thanks to its reliability, its precision and his speed of action.

The VisioLoc® functionality leads to a tactical capability leap for land forces who see their “in contact” combat capabilities renewed and modernized. With Visioloc®, the portable optronic equipment of tactical commanders is able to respond to the new paradigm of high intensity combat.

“With the VisioLoc® functionality, Thales offers a unique ability to fight in non-permissive environments to the Army, drastically accelerating the OODA – Observe, Orient, Decide and Act loop. With VisioLoc®, the portable optronic equipment of tactical leaders enters the new paradigm of high intensity combat. » Benoit Plantier, Vice-President of Missile Optronics and Electronics, Thales.

¹ Geolocation and Navigation by a Satellite System: determination of the position and speed of a point on the surface or in the vicinity of the Earth, by processing radio signals from several artificial satellites, received at this point.