The Combined Logistics Command (CLC) will unveil its newly developed thermal imager, base-monitoring system and 3-D maps at the 2003 Taipei Aerospace Technology Exhibition, which opens today at the Taipei World Trade Center.
The portable thermal imager, developed by the Taichung-based 402nd factory in less than a year, is slated to become the armed forces' next-generation night vision equipment but has yet to pass a series of tests.
Night-vision goggles being used by the armed services at the moment employ dated technology and are not very user-friendly. They were mostly developed by the CLC, with key components bought from the US or European countries.
The thermal imager is the first of its kind to be developed by the logistics command and is likely to replace the outdated night-vision equipment.
It provides the user with the ability to see in the dark, displaying the image in black and white on a hand-held monitor.
It can also relay images back to a command center hundreds of meters away via radio transmissions.
A lieutenant colonel with the CLC, who was involved in the development of the thermal imager, said the transmission range could be extended several times depending on actual needs and available budget.
"The thermal imager on display is only a prototype. Its functions could be enhanced according to the user's needs. It might not be the best when compared with models of the same kind produced by foreign countries, but it is certainly the cheapest," the lieutenant colonel said.
"Although it is inexpensive, the quality of the product has been not compromised," he said.
Except for key components like the detector, all other parts of the thermal imager were sourced from the local market, which is an example of the military's efforts toward self-sufficiency.
The detectors for the thermal imagers were bought from France. The logistics unit initially planned to buy from Israel but dropped the idea after considering that China might try to intervene.
Another significant new product that the unit is to showcase at the exhibition is a base-monitoring system developed by the 401st factory, also based in Taichung.
The base-monitoring system features self-tracking capabilities. Older monitoring systems need somebody to manually control the monitor cameras. But the new system is capable of tracking a target automatically, with monitor cameras having been integrated in the design to keep continuous watch on the target no matter where it moves.
The system is intended to be adopted by the armed services as a tool in effectively maintaining security around a base.
The CLC will display another key new product -- a 3-D map based on satellite images. The map looks ordinary, but becomes three-dimensional when looked at through a pair of special glasses.
The 3-D map is aimed at helping field commanders get a clear idea in the shortest time possible about the best position to deploy troops.
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