Collins Aerospace says it is seeing strong demand for its new Fast-Jet reconnaissance pod for improved imagery throughout Europe and NATO partners.

European interest follows an announcement of an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract modification by the US Air Force for the reconnaissance pod, the MS-110 Multispectral Airborne Reconnaissance system,

“The new IDIQ contract vehicle enables international air forces to procure the MS-110 reconnaissance capability at reduced prices with significantly shorter contract to delivery schedules,”  says William O’Brien, regional business development lead, Mission Systems, Collins Aerospace.

The MS-110 is the follow-on to the widely deployed DB-110 system. It offers a multi-band, true-color capability, which significantly increases the intelligence value of the collected imagery and the ability to identify camouflage and increased spatial resolution. The system provides a stand-off range capability approaching 100 nm and the ability to image over 40,000 square miles per hour during both day and nighttime.

Collins says the MS-110 is a step-change in airborne reconnaissance capability, which is unmatched by targeting pods or sensors internally fitted inside the aircraft body. These capabilities include:

• Highest resolution imagery achievable at long/stand-off range for peacetime cross boarder surveillance or high-threat wartime scenarios
• Advanced multispectral imagery (color and false-color composites) to detect targets with a higher degree of confidence or through poor weather/atmospheric conditions
• Wide-area coverage in high resolution
• Flexible planning/re-tasking for real-time changes in dynamic operational situations by aircrew
• SCi-Toolset, a suite of software to help end users extract critical intelligence from the MS-110’s imagery.