Safran Electronics & Defense’s Euroflir 410D optronic system has been selected by the French defense procurement agency DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement) for the Beechcraft Super King Air 350 “VADOR” (Vecteurs Aéroportés de Désignation, d’Observation et de Reconnaissance) designation, observation and reconnaissance aircraft to be deployed by the French Air Force. Capable of detecting and identifying threats out to a range of several dozen of kilometers, the Euroflir 410D will enable French forces deploying the VADOR to carry out identification, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions undetected, day or night, and in all weather conditions.
The Euroflir 410D, developed and produced in France by Safran, is a compact, modular unit offering unrivaled observation performance in all visibility conditions, largely due to its very-long-range multispectral telescope and high-performance line-of-sight stabilization system. This latest selection confirms Safran’s European leadership in the highly demanding market for advanced optronic systems on helicopters, drones and reconnaissance aircraft. The Euroflir 410 operates in four spectral wavebands – TV, NIR, SWIR, MWIR – with a wide field-of-view and ultra-long-range observation, allowing it to function at standoff distance any time day or night.
The Euroflir 410 is specially adapted to the wide variety of missions: supporting law enforcement, homeland security, border and coastal surveillance, intelligence, SAR and CSAR. Euroflir™ 410 : a modular system in 3 main versions
EuroflirTM 410 Surveillance: eyesafe target range measurement and 3D location-determination.
EuroflirTM 410 Marking: target marking for either crew members or allied ground forces with night vision goggles.
EuroflirTM 410 Designation: accurate designation with suitable laser coding for laser-guided weapons.
The French Air force ordered 3 Beechcraft King Air 350, nicknamed “Vador”, modified to become ISR/LSRA (ALSR in french). The first aircraft was handed over on 5 August 2020. On 2 December 2020, the second Beech 350ER/ALSR has been delivered to the French Air Force. A third aircraft arrived in France in 2019 and is expected to be delivered in 2023. The aircrafts are operated by EEA01.054 Dunkerque. The modifications from the civil King Air 350 are mainly the ventral compartiment, which carries electronic equipment, and a camera named “optronic ball”. The Vador is capable of performing intelligence missions with a small logistical footprint and great ease of deployment.
