The Maltese Armed Forces has awarded a contract to SELEX Galileo to deliver two Janus naval (Janus-N) electro-optic observation and fire control panoramic sights for installation on its patrol boats.

Part-financed by the External Borders Funds 2011 (EBF), SELEX will deliver the system in support of the upgrade of maritime squadron fast response craft.

"The Janus-N helps strengthen our customer’s surveillance capabilities and improves the situational awareness of those who are called upon to make decisions."

SELEX Galileo’s electro-optics land and naval senior vice president Mauro Gori said: "The Janus-N helps strengthen our customer’s surveillance capabilities and improves the situational awareness of those who are called upon to make decisions."

Derived from the successful Janus land-sight, the Janus-N is equipped with a stabilised multi-sensor turret that contains a day (TV) camera and a night (IR) camera.

Fitted with a laser rangefinder to detect the distances of targets under observation, the system helps armoured fighting vehicles (AFV) to meet requirements for peace-keeping/enforcing operations and transition-to-major environments.

The Janus-N is currently operational with Italian Navy’s patrol units supporting day and night-time maritime surveillance missions.

It features a console to enable operator to manage various modes of the system while the open-architecture allows rapid integration on-board the ship with its existing command and control systems.

Additional features include high-performance infrared staring focal plane array sensor technology for supporting missions, such as day and night surveillance, search-and rescue, situational awareness, maritime navigation and patrolling.

The electro-optical multifunction panoramic aiming and anti-aircraft sight has been designed for equipping new-generation one-man crew turrets.