Elbit Systems UK has delivered the first tranche of its XACT Night Vision Goggles to the British Army as part of a contract awarded by the Ministry of Defence to the company in June of this year.
The firm say that following ‘First Article Inspections’ conducted by Defence Equipment and Security (DE&S), this initial consignment of XACT systems was manufactured at Elbit Systems UK’s subsidiary Instro Precision Ltd’s (Instro) facility in Kent.
“The systems have been delivered from Instro to the British Army for operational use with a lead time of only a few months, demonstrating the company’s agility and its ability to respond swiftly to the needs of the UK Armed Forces.
Prior to delivery of this first tranche of systems, a number of XACT nv33 systems were supplied to the 1st Division at Imphal Barracks in York, in order to provide instruction on the capabilities of the Night Vision Goggles to the Divisional Training Advisory Team (DTAT).
The lightweight micro binocular XACT nv33 Night Vision Goggles have been supplied in a helmet-mounted configuration, with size, weight and improved capabilities that have been well-received by the Army.”
The systems will allow troops to maximise their mission efficiency in dark conditions and enable them to operate at a tactical level in both dismounted and mounted roles.
Products from the XACT family are already in operational use with a number of NATO countries including Germany, the Netherlands and Israel.
Not sure if this is a good idea. We’ve also purchased night vision from a Greek company recently. It’s a critical national defence capability and we have a national champion in the form of Qioptiq. We should really be putting everything through them.
Not a huge fan of Israeli companies moving in to the UK marketplace…they’re really not an ally at all.
In what way are they not an ally ?
They’re not formally an ally in any shape or form, no treaties, long record of doing things which are directly counter to UK foreign policy objectives, long history of passing technology to nations we don’t want to get it (South Africa and China), abuse of UK passport documents for espionage and assasination purposes (despite being warned on multiple occasions). All nations have their own objectives, but will usually tailor them to sensitivities of friendly states, the Israeli’s do no such thing.
A question for you would be ‘In what way do you think they are an ally…’
I just replied with a link to the signing of an agreement this time last year between the UK and Israel to “formalise and enhance” military co-operation.
Unfortunately the link was to a dodgy site that required approval, some rag called the UK Defence Journal, but there was the one signed a couple of weeks ago, announced by the UK government. I suspect their website is even dodgier than UKJDs, so you might have to search for that too.
Defence, Intelligence, Trade.
Defence? – In what regard? Our exports to them are fairly minimal. They’re a competitor in exports. They export to some fairly unsavoury regimes (Azerbaijan?), including key technologies, which are in direct conflict with UK (or indeed ‘Western’) foreign policy objectives. They even exported arms to Argentina whilst we were in a conflict with them, with the specific aim of harming British troops…(Menachem Begin’s own words..) Intelligence? – They share when they have an over-riding objective, they embellish when they want support. Otherewise its limited. In no way is it comparable to the more honest relationship that we have with… Read more »
Well UK at that time was exporting weapons to several regimes that wanted Israel destroyed. That is quite more serious than just wanting a small island from UK. Argentina never wanted UK destroyed. Anyway i don’t think you understand the importance of Israel in Western defence system including UK. From intelligence in Soviet weapons, armor , from man-machine interface. You just look at how close historical they are with Germans regarding their tank gun for example. They are also after all the father of the today low speed drone. Armor systems in various British Army vehicles in various operations in… Read more »
They are a competitor in exports? Name one major ally who isn’t? Exporting to Argentina 40 years ago (a bit like France and… well, we ourselves did), it’s a long time to hold a grudge. Begin didn’t like us to be sure, but let’s face it, partition and our colonian disengagement from several countries including Israel left a bit to be desired. And we screwed them over Suez. There’s a point where you have to let history be history, or there’s hardly a European country left we’d still be talking to. Complaining that trade is really low as an excuse… Read more »
Not during the war they didn’t…France cut off deliveries and actively assisted the UK. Their help was as useful to the UK as the US help was, but shamefully people think they didn’t.
The Israeli’s on the other hand actually stepped up assistance…
Not sure we can be blamed for our disengagement from Palestine, it had been demanded by the UN and signalled well in advance. It was only a mandate territory as well, not a colony.
I’ve no problem engaging with them, but I do have an issue with their defence companies making inroads to the UK market…
Don’t waste your time on the pro Israel regime lobby , some of them would sell our armed forces for them. Even the Israeli public dislike the regime there yet some on here seem more qualified than they are it seems by normalising Israeli war crimes and proudly calling them an ally despite no formal treaty . Even the Israeli government never saw the UK as a partner let alone as an ally and criticised the UK often .
I’m with you both – I don’t trust the Israeli’s, no true ally of ours.
Falklands war
There is a trade off between maintaining national sovereignty for some of these capabilities, getting the best technology on the market and also getting it at a fair price. We can’t always get all 3 in 1. If Israel’s tech is better let them product it in the UK. I don’t mind Israel’s, Israel first policy at least everyone knows where they stand. Do you honestly not think European governments sky and leak information to eachother. Considering what the British government in leaking to the press imagine what they are leaking to our enemies. China and Russia probably know exactly… Read more »
I know Qioptiq produce night vision devices for scopes. But I don’t believe they make helmet mounted night vision goggles (NVGs)? There’s a definite market for something better than the ones shown in the image above. Not saying they are rubbish, as they use a third generation intensifier, so their resolution is really good. However, there are a number of issues with the current crop of NVGs. The first is tunnel vision, basically you lose peripheral vision as the scope’s aperture is quite small in diameter. Secondly you lose depth perception, especially if only using one optic. Thirdly is bulk.… Read more »
We often buy Defence equipment from a foreign company – RFPs go out far and wide. Its called competition. Whats the problem? Israeli companies are producing for a demanding national customer who is on virtually a constant war footing. The kit just has to be excellent and cost-effective. Israel makes some great kit from Iron Dome to Trophy APS to top UCAVs.
I have more faith in an Israeli company than in GDUK.
It matters not one bit that Israel is not a NATO ally – they are Friendly Forces.
You’re setting the bar rather low with GDUK…personally I think they should be shown the door after Bowman and Ajax. And apart from Lockheeds aviation side we should tell them to sling their hook as well…after the Warrior fiasco. In recent years only Boeing and Raytheon appear to have performed amongst the US primes for the UK market.
Didn’t know I had praised GDUK. They are an incompetent company in every way.
Qinetiq are U.S. owned. Elbit is Israeli. The article states that ‘this initial consignment of XACT systems was manufactured at Elbit Systems UK’s subsidiary Instro Precision Ltd’s (Instro) facility in Kent.’ Defence industries are now very much international.
Google point Barry, Israel is absolutely a key partner today, they have many top drawer defence contractors, highly focused companies and excelling in many areas.
Qinetiq is a British company. The UK government also has a speical share that allow them to veto a takeover
Despite what some pro Israeli lobby on this platform often push for , not sure what they get for sucking up to this apartheid regime that shares no basic values . Our armed forces don’t abuse kids and hold a machine gun over 7 year olds head . So no thanks, Israeli crimes won’t be normalised . During the pandemic when Boris did seek assistance over supplies the Israeli PM refused to share anything ! Despite pleadings by Dominic Raab https://www.middleeasteye.net/fr/node/167271 Meanwhile UK press hated Sultan Erdogan not only sold supplies to the UK when others such as Israel refused… Read more »
James, we have a strategic relationship with Israel, that goes beyond their occasionally questionable treatment of their neighbours The are a key regional counterpoint to Iran, (who, let’s not forget), equip and train the terrorist groups who constantly attack Israel, from the school and hospital rooftops and back yards of the West Bank, deliberately encouraging retaliation onto those locations, for their own ends…. The fact that Israel has a ‘very’ capable nuclear equipped military, keeps countries like Egypt and Jordan on the right side too and helps act decisively against Iran’s nefarious influence in the region. There is always a… Read more »
The only apartheid regimes in regions is those you support James. Starting with Palestinian regimes, both of them. The Apartheid starts with sexes and goes to up to any other religion. And those have to be of the “Book” because not even try to live in Palestine as a Baha’i, Zoroastrian, etc… In your typical Pravda fashion those the British war crimes in WW2 put them at same level of Nazi German war crimes? of course not , but you here do not even note there existed Nazi German war crimes at all… As usual with so called Palestinian supporters,… Read more »