Army upgrading EMARSS turboprop reconnaissance aircraft with surveillance sensors for dangerous missions

Feb. 26, 2021
The aim is to build a modular aircraft with open-architecture plug-and-play capability with different sensors, software, and electronics.

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. – Several combat-proven Army reconnaissance aircraft are being upgraded for deployments in dangerous environments beyond what was encountered in places like Afghanistan. Kris Osborn of The National Interest reports. Continue reading original article

The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:

26 Feb. 2021 -- Army experts at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., are refining aerial surveillance technology by upgrading the Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (EMARSS) reconnaissance plane.

Much of the work aims at fitting an EMARSS fuselage -- a modified Beechcraft King Air 350ER -- with cameras, sensors, software, antennas, intelligence databases, and electronic equipment.

The goal with EMARSS aircraft was to enable a surveillance aircraft to gather and disseminate valuable intelligence to warfighters in real time with cameras, sensors, communications, signals intelligence (SIGINT), and a data-link with ground-based intelligence databases.

Related: Northrop Grumman to upgrade and sustain Air Force Global Hawk long-range UAV fleet in $4.8 billion contract

Related: U.S. Navy orders 15 ScanEagle unmanned aircraft, sensor payloads, and video data links for Afghanistan

Related: Navy asks Raytheon to upgrade radar RF sensors for maritime surveillance of vessel and aircraft targets

John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics

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