Chess Dynamics secures GBP1.4 million contract for Hawkeye EOSS

Image of Chess Dynamics' Hawkeye EOSS with Cobra positioner. (Chess Dynamics)

Chess Dynamics has secured a GBP1.4 million (USD1.89 million) order for an undisclosed number of its Hawkeye electro-optical surveillance systems (EOSSs) from an unnamed “weapon system prime”, according to the company's 6 January press release.

The systems are set to be integrated into air-defence units for electro-optical targeting of airborne threats, as per the release.

The Hawkeye EOSS uses the Cobra electro-optical surveillance positioner to track single targets as standard. Multitracking can be enabled for the Hawkeye EOSS “through software updates”, a Chess Dynamics representative confirmed to Janes on 6 January.

The system's sensors include a daylight TV camera with 1280×720 p resolution, a thermal imaging camera, and a GRIP PC (General-purpose Rugged Integrated Processor), according to the representative. The Hawkeye EOSS incorporates Chess Dynamics' artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced tracking algorithm called DEFT (Deep Embedded Feature Target Tracking). Made by Chess Dynamics subsidiary Vision4ce, DEFT is a learning target tracking tool that tracks across multiple sensor outputs for surveillance and counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) applications, according to Vision4ce.

Chess Dynamics also advertises Hawkeye EOSS-D, which it calls a ‘digital version' of the system, compared to EOSS which it terms an ‘analogue version'. “The key difference [between EOSS and EOSS-D] is where the tracking system is embedded: in the analogue version it is integrated into the GRIP PC, whereas in the digital version it is embedded directly into the positioner,” the company representative told Janes .