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2023-09-07

WESCAM MX-10 Empowers Enhanced Law Enforcement

When summoned, Fort Bend County Sheriff Deputy and Pilot Mark Foster promptly responds, fully prepared. Following thorough pre-flight checks, receiving affirmation from his crew, and taking off, his sole focus shifts to accomplishing the mission at hand.

The success of the mission hinges on the unwavering trust he places in his team, alongside his unwavering reliance on the effectiveness of his equipment.

Every individual, from ground deputies to the Tactical Flight Officers (TFO), who manage the L3Harris WESCAM MX-10 Electro-optical (EO)/ Infrared (IR) system from the cockpit, must possess situational awareness.

The WESCAM MX-10 is a smaller, capable and affordable commercial sensor system that incorporates field-proven technology from the larger WESCAM MX-15 and WESCAM MX-20 products.

With fully active, four-axis stabilisation, the multi-spectral sensors within WESCAM MX-Series systems provide imaging over multiple wavebands, ensuring both day and night imaging capability over a wide range of weather conditions.

“Whether during live missions or after an event has taken place and we are conducting further surveillance and reconnaissance of surrounding areas, we will conduct simultaneous training using our imaging system. That means turning the camera on, locating specific landmarks, tracking vehicles or surveilling nearby environments,” explains Mark.

High-Tech Patrol

Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Bell OH58A helicopters from 1971 and 1973 were updated with advanced technology through a military partnership with the National Guard. Upgraded paint and 2022 surveillance equipment like WESCAM MX-10 improved their airborne law enforcement capabilities.

While the whole system is assembled in L3Harris’ new facility in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the WESCAM MX-10 also includes integral infrared sensors manufactured by L3Harris engineers in Mason, Ohio, showcasing the collaboration between L3Harris teams that goes into each EO/IR sensor system.

“A digital, high-definition and fully stabilised image takes out any guesswork and is capable of providing visual accuracy and precision at altitudes as high as 5000 feet. It makes it much easier to determine what we’re looking at. We can even tell if we see a person or squirrel in a tree. It’s that accurate,” points out Mark.

The Fort Bend County Sheriff Air Support Division swiftly deploys tactics to assist in missions across various areas. From pursuits to officer assists and locating missing persons, Mark’s team offers a rapid aerial perspective that enhances overall safety.

Before outfitting their helicopters with WESCAM MX-Series imaging systems, Mark recognised the superiority of these systems over their current ones. “I pay attention to others’ experiences and approaches, and I had heard about the impressive effectiveness of the WESCAM MX-Series units used by the Department of Public Safety. My police officer sons informed me how DPS consistently nabbed suspects and found people. The more we researched, the clearer it became that MX-10 was the logical choice for us. So, we made the switch.”

Imaging Technology

An incident involving the management and containment of narcotics highlighted the efficacy of an air support division equipped with dependable, high-definition imaging technology for reconnaissance and evaluations of criminal hideouts.

Pursuing a lead to a potential narcotics stash house, Mark and his TFO ascended to a height of 1500 feet, maintaining a safe distance to avoid raising suspicion. “We can capture video footage of the property, take snapshots, and methodically survey with the camera: what’s in the front yard? What’s situated at the back? Where are the entry points? Following that, we can present the team with the recorded material and images, outlining our strategy for the next morning.”

The ability of Mark and his TFO to use imaging technology effectively as a team leads to successful missions. It allows officers to accomplish their objectives and come home safely at the end of their shifts.

The capability of WESCAM MX-10 to fully integrate with the platform and third-party systems allows flight crews to take full advantage of the system.

For example, while Mark is navigating and maintaining altitude and orbit, his TFO can take further directions from dispatch while also controlling the camera.

All of this is possible with the L3Harris WESCAM MX-10, which provides Airborne Law Enforcement, like the Fort Bend County Sherriff, with a low-weight imaging system ideal for everyday low-altitude tactical surveillance and reconnaissance missions from both manned and unmanned airborne platforms.Reference Text/Photo:

www.l3harris.com

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