An intelligence gathering system based on remote battlefield sensors is being jointly developed by Sagem of France and Sweden's Exensor.

The system, to be used by special forces and army intelligence units is for a program of the French procurement agency DGA that is called SAIDRe, or Système d'Acquisition d'Information et de Renseignement.

Sagem said the system will be used close to a battlefield and will be able to survey targets and acquire images that it sends in real time to command and control centers.

"As prime contractor and systems integrator, Sagem will conduct the SAIDRe program jointly with Exensor Technology, the world leader in networked sensors, whose systems have been combat proven," Sagem said. "The solutions offered by Exensor Technology will combine seismic, acoustic and infrared technologies with day/night imagers to ensure fail-proof observation. These systems are light, powerful and modular, as well as very energy-efficient."

Sagem will provide to the project its expertise in tactical system integration, command-and-control systems, secure data transmissions and thermal detectors.

The first system prototypes for testing are expected next year.