At the DSEI 2023 show, Leonardo announced a contract worth over £10 million with the Danish Defense Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) to equip more than 300 Danish Army vehicles, including Piranha troop transporters V 8x8 and Caesar 8x8 self-propelled artillery systems, with integrated cameras. The technology will provide enhanced vision and greater situational awareness, allowing crews to operate more effectively in hostile environments.
The order was awarded under the framework agreement signed in 2016 between Leonardo and DALO for the supply of modular mission systems for the vehicles of the Danish Army's land fleet, with each system adapted to the type and role of the single vehicle. Specifically, this contract covers 309 Piranha V vehicles which include infantry, engineer, repair, mortar, command post and ambulance variants, as well as the Caesar 8x8 ART (Artillery) platform and fleet spares. Deliveries have already started.
Leonardo's vehicle camera system uses a modular, multi-platform design that includes high-resolution infrared (IR) night vision (thermal/low light) cameras, daylight cameras, user displays, IR illuminators and other video sources of the platform. The system complies with the Generic Vehicle Architecture (GVA) standard, adopted by the UK, which employs common infrastructure and control interfaces. The latter allow the use of external inputs, such as video sources, from other sensors around the vehicle(s).
Since 2016 Leonardo has supplied over 700 camera systems for Royal Danish Army vehicles. These include the JCB High Mobility Engineer Excavator (HMEE), which the Army first fielded in January 2022, and the WISENT armored vehicle. The technology has also been used to support NATO allies during several international operations.
The camera systems on board the Piranha and HMEE both include the latest version of Leonardo's DNVS (Driver's Night Vision System). This means that, in addition to conducting operations with maximum protection against external threats, crews will be able to operate at night and in low visibility weather conditions. These technologies are based on the company's decades of experience in supplying situational awareness systems to the UK Armed Forces for the equipment of various vehicles. These include: Challenger Main Battle Tank, Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle, Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS - M270), Warthog, Viking, Ridgeback, Wolfhound & Mastiff.
