The Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) is a state-of-the-art TV and infrared (IR) combat optic system developed by Hensoldt Optronics. This system is a critical component of modern fire control systems (FCS) and is currently employed on the Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) in service with the Bundeswehr. The EOTS provides advanced target detection, tracking, and engagement through its modern high-performance optical sensors.
As part of experimental efforts to modernize the Gepard, the EOTS was integrated onto the roof of a Gepard SPAAG. This significantly improved the system’s capabilities by enabling IR-based target detection and tracking, thus increasing overall effectiveness in locating and engaging aerial threats.
According to a Hensoldt Optronics brochure detailing the features of the EOTS III, there is a clear indication of the system’s integration with the Gepard 1A2 SPAAG.
Additional evidence from a video of the KMW (Krauss-Maffei Wegmann) trials conducted in 2008 at the ADA Life Firing Range in Todendorf, Germany, further confirms the system’s operational effectiveness. The video showcases the EOTS in action, where a Gepard successfully tracks a Banshee drone using its IR capabilities during testing.
Video of the EOTS on the Gepard 1A2
(“ENTF” = Distance)
During the trials, the tracked drone was ultimately destroyed by an adjacent weapon system—likely an Ozelot armed with a FIM-92 Stinger missile—at an approximate distance of 5300 meters from the Gepard. This successful engagement demonstrates the advanced target acquisition and tracking capabilities provided by the EOTS integration, highlighting its potential to modernize legacy air-defense platforms like the Gepard SPAAG.
Downloaded video in case original dies
EOTS details
The system features a stabilized head with an elevation range of -20° to +75° and an azimuth of ±7° for the gunner’s sight and continuous 360° rotation for the commander’s sight, both with a stabilization error of less than 0.05 mrad RMS. The daylight sensor operates within the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) spectral bands, offering a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels, a horizontal field of view (FOV) between 1.5° and 25°, and a 3G-SDI video interface. The mid-wave infrared (MWIR) sensor provides a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and a horizontal FOV of 2.8° to 22.2°, also using a 3G-SDI interface.
The integrated laser range finder operates with a pulse rate of up to 20 Hz, offering an accuracy of ±2 meters for distances under 6000 meters and ±5 meters beyond that range, with a detection range between 50 meters and 40 kilometers. Mechanically, the system is compact, with dimensions of 500 mm (W) x 358 mm (H) x 340 mm (D), enhancing its adaptability across multiple platforms.
Sources
- https://web.archive.org/web/20220313003526/https://www.hensoldt.net/fileadmin/HENSOLDT_2019/Products/Optronics/Vehicle_Optronics/VehicleOptronics_EN_144dpi.pdf
- EOTS-III-combat.zip (2.7 MB)
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