HarmoLign - Next generation boresight system

Metronor’s next generation boresight system, HarmoLign, relies on three main characteristics of Metronor’s core technology:

• Ability to measure multiple points simultaneously
• Accuracy in large volumes
• Ability to withstand rough use and tough environments with unimpaired performance over time 

These characteristics have allowed Metronor to design a next-generation boresighting system that incorporates all the theoretical, practical and industrial experience from nearly 15 years of industrial metrology and optimizes these for the boresighting application. The result is the HarmoLign system.

What’s new with HarmoLign?

Compared with traditional boresight systems, HarmoLign advantages include: 

• Improved weapon system targeting accuracy – operator's influence removed
• Lower acquisition cost
• Near-zero life support cost
• Comprehensive user guidance and system self-verification
• Minimal operator training required
• Fast and easy setup and alignment
• Handles both platforms with a single ‘Master Reference’ coordinate system and platforms with distributed reference system
• No scheduled maintenance or re-calibration requirements
• Cost effective multiple platform boresighting capabilities - fast and easy to adapt to other existing and new airborne and ground based weapon system platforms
• Full support for future systems – including Helmet Mounted Display & Sight systems requiring full spatial alignment (positions as well as orientations)
• Drastically reduced logistic footprint – increased deployability 

Through the use of Platform Harmonization Pads (PHPs), consisting of platform specific mounting adapters, simple brackets and generic Light Emitting Diode (LED) Pads, the system can be adopted to boresight virtually any weapon system platform. Due to its modularity and its capability to handle also distributed reference systems the system is compatible with all known platforms and does not require any platform modifications. This makes HarmoLign a truly generic and cost effective harmonization/boresight system and, the perfect solution for boresighting of multiple sensors, weapons and weapon stations on multiple weapon system platforms.

A typical boresight operation (5-10 systems/stations to boresight) takes in the order of 20-60 minutes to complete, including installation of PHPs. 

As needed for military operational field usage, HarmoLign is fully qualified to military standards, including among others MIL-STD 810 and MIL-STD 461. In addition, HarmoLign is designed to be supportable and maintainable for the next several decades. 

HarmoLign background and status

HarmoLign is developed under contract with BAE Systems – the concept having won a BAE Systems Silver Award for innovation. The initial version of HarmoLign was configured for the 100-series BAE Systems Hawk advanced jet trainer. To date a number of systems have been delivered both to BAE Systems and Hawk end users, covering several versions of the Hawk aircraft.

The HarmoLign technology has also been selected for 6-degrees of freedom alignment/harmonization of the Denel helmet tracker system presently being integrated in the Saab Gripen fighter as part of the Gripen Helmet Mounted Display and Sight System.

For further information and key specifications, please refer to our HarmoLign Brochure as well as to the media section of this web page.