L-3 Wescam, manufacturer of stabilized, multi-spectral imaging systems, reported sales of more than $13 billion last year and has launched two new systems that are designed to lower the cost of development testing and sustainment of fielded electro-optical/infrared surveillance and targeting systems. The new MX-Emulator and MX-Raid are part of L-3 Wescam’s MX portfolio serving the military, homeland security and airborne law enforcement.

Designed to replicate the functionality of airborne and ground-based MX systems, MX-Emulator helps lower system integration lab (SIL) development costs for integrators and OEMs. The ability of MX-Emulator to “replicate the exact functionality of airborne- and ground-based MX systems,” including “connectivity to all standard control systems, including hand-controllers, operator control units, joysticks and mission grips,” is being demonstrated at the L-3 pavilion (Static E170).

“The MX-emulator provides a rapid return on investment by reducing SIL development costs,” said L-3 Wescam v-p of customer service Rod Till, “and by mitigating the risk of issues that can arise during the critical system integration phase of a program. Furthermore, it enables MX systems and associated aircraft to be freed from the SIL testing environment and available to support operational missions.”

MX-Raid, Internet version, enables remote diagnostics for evaluation of fielded MX-series EO/IR systems, giving customers instant access to an in-house technician to help diagnose in-service system issues. This capability was previously done via a satellite connection, but the Internet version connects the L-3 Wescam technician to the MX-series system via datalink that allows for live video, voice or text chat and streaming video.