Indra, the premier IT company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe, was awarded a EUR 2.3 million contract to supply an acoustic weapon locating system (HALO) for the protection of the military bases and troops on missions.
This system, supplied by Indra, detects hostile shot sounds and by calculating weather data and terrain particulars it is capable to accurately determine their location, source and destination. This is how it can respond to threats promptly and adequately. Thanks to this system, the Spanish troops will be able to control activity near the base, distribute the information and request reinforcements immediately in the event of a threat or to repair damages. The result is an improvement in the security of the troops. The new system complements the one the company delivered in 2008 with satisfactory results for the Army so far. This type of equipment is a priority acquisition for the Armed Forces and is destined to be in service in different international missions. The acoustic locating system consists of a control post that establishes communication with four sensor posts through radio. The sensors capture the acoustic signs and distinguish them from environment sounds in order to provide the control post with the coordinates of the origin of the sound. In addition to this, within the framework of this contract, Indra will provide the Army with alert management equipment. This new system will integrate HALO-detected threats and will distribute them through the Army’s radio automatically to a series of terminals onboard the vehicles that intervene in the security of the precinct. Users of the different security system elements of the base will be provided with a common operational picture (COP). They will also be informed about the location of the friendly units as well as the information delivered by HALO alerts and other type of messages and notifications that can be exchanged between units. The cartography of the terminals will show the alerts and the user will know the location easily and quickly. The HALO system with its alert management system allows distribution and shares the information timely besides incorporating FFT features (Friendly Force Tracking) which enable distinction of friend from foe. These features help enhance security of the troops, a significant improvement in response time in the event of a threat, increase situational awareness and boost coordination between units when neutralising a threat.