ESSEX, U.K., 21 Sept. 2007. The Finnish Defence Force has procured HYDRA, the unattended, networked sensing system developed by SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems (S&AS) UK, a Finmeccanica company. The FDF will employ HYDRA as a system for perimeter and border control at tactical level.

HYDRA, which has now entered production, is a situational awareness asset which, through the use of distributed multimodal sensors, allows the user to detect, recognize, identify, and track targets of interest from a safe, remote location. HYDRA uses visible band cameras, thermal cameras, and acoustic tracking in conjunction with seismic, passive infrared and magnetic sensors.

HYDRA comes in a collection of small, ruggedized sensor nodes which, once deployed, form a wireless, sensing network. The use of combinations of modular sensors and communications make HYDRA ideal to provide more effective detection of potential threats, while at the same time reducing false alarms rates compared to current-generation unattended ground sensors. Furthermore, the imaging sensors allow confirmation of the target through a remote "eyes on" visual identification. These capabilities make HYDRA ideal for use for military and civilian forces, including the Police and border control bodies.

SELEX S&AS has been able to offer the Finnish Defence Force a tailored solution for its requirement, enabled through the company's technology and its group of suppliers, including QinetiQ, the supplier of the acoustic tracking sensor.