Long-range infrared binoculars from Sagem to be provided to French armed forces

Posted by John McHale
PARIS, 22 Jan. 2011. French defense procurement agency DGA awarded a contract to Sagem for 1,175 JIM LR 2 new-generation long-range, multifunction infrared binoculars, intended for the French armed forces. JIM LR 2 binoculars are designed for threat detection, precision target designation, and intelligence gathering for front-line and command units. The JIM LR 2 will be interoperable with the command and coordination systems used in the FELIN (1) integrated suite for dismounted soldiers.
JIM LR 2 is a portable all-in-one unit, combining day/night thermal vision, range-finding, laser pointer, compass, GPS, and data transmission. It draws on operational feedback generated by the Sagem JIM LR (long range), and is directly derived from this original unit.
While maintaining the same hardware and ergonomic design, the JIM LR 2 unit offers several improvements: increased detection and identification range; increased target designation range, thanks to a more powerful pointer; image fusion between the visible and infrared channels, to see through camouflage during the daytime, and for all-weather vision, especially through smoke; andrecording of videos and images via a USB port.
The contract also includes 500 remote-control tactical terminals, offering enhanced ergonomics, and compact design, with a new A4 size tablet.
The deployment of these JIM LR 2 systems will be able to call on the Level 1 and 2 support network already in service for the JIM LR system. Sagem will also provide training for users and maintenance staff.
Reflecting the combined expertise of Sagem and its Swiss subsidiary Vectronix, JIM LR are already deployed by several NATO countries.
This contract is part of the JIR-TTA-NG program to acquire new-generation infrared binoculars for deployment by all services of the armed forces.