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thedrifter
02-27-09, 06:51 AM
Eclan High Tech Biocular
Walt Maciborski, The 33 News

February 26, 2009

A high tech company in Richardson just landed the biggest military contract in its history.
Elcan Optical Technologies, a division of Raytheon, won a 180-million dollar contract to build a high tech biocular for the marines. It's called the Phatom IR or medium range thermal biocular.

Elcan's Chief Systems Engineer, Dr. James Florence says, "it's an electronic thermal imager that's handheld and that allows the war fighter to be able to see things and find things around him in total darkness." The bioculars can see the heat signature of any material more than a mile away, letting the Marines own the night. Combat experts say old infrared technology had its limitations with light sources and weather conditions. But, the new Phantom IR bioculars focus on heat from any source, man-made or human. Dr. Florence says this device also allows you to record more than an hour of video that the military unit can take back to base and analyze.

VIDEO: Elcan Phantom IR Combat Video

http://www.the33tv.com/pages/landing/?blockID=225364&feedID=460

The precision of the optics made for this biocular at the Richardson plant are mind boggling. Michael Allgeier, the Vice President of Operations and Precision Components with Raytheon, says, "it's fractions of a human hair that we're talking about here and I don't have a lot left. It's fractions of human hair we're talking about in terms of precision. It's absolutely incredible."


The optics are so precise they're measured down to the atomic level. The bioculars used on the front lines let soldiers see in any weather condition more than a mile away in day or night. They also make hunting scopes for the commercial market. Their optics are used in the medical field and if you've been to the movies lately, Elcan optics are in Panaflex and IMAX cameras.

Paul Klocek, Elcan's General Manager, says this contract also means economic security on the homefront saying,
"there's more and more partnerships, there's more collaboration and that is really just going to drive the economy, it's going to drive innovation, that means jobs, that means growth."

Ellie