by Jarryd Sinovich/Images by HENSOLDT
HENSOLDT South Africa has marked the launch of its KENIS 1280 AK thermal imaging sensor as a standalone product with a significant customer agreement signed during Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2026.
HENSOLDT South Africa and Estonia-based HEVI Optronics have signed an agreement for the supply of 200 KENIS 1280 AK sensors, which will be integrated into HEVI’s systems for long-range surveillance and Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) applications.
The agreement builds on HEVI’s previous procurement of 150 KENIS sensors and further strengthens the cooperation between the two companies.
The deal represents an important milestone for HENSOLDT South Africa as it expands the availability of KENIS technology beyond its own optronic systems and into the wider market for high-performance sensor solutions.
“The KENIS 1280 AK has been proven in our own systems for more than five years. Making it available as a standalone sensor is a natural next step and securing an order of this scale at AAD is a strong validation of the market opportunity,” said Sunette Van Rensburg, Head of Sales, Optronics at HENSOLDT South Africa.
High-performance thermal imaging
The KENIS 1280 AK is a cooled mid-wave infrared (MWIR) thermal imaging sensor designed for long-range surveillance, target identification and C-UAS applications.
The sensor has already been deployed as a core sensor in HENSOLDT’s flagship ARGOS-15 and BushBaby 200 systems for more than five years.
By offering the KENIS 1280 AK as a standalone product, HENSOLDT South Africa is responding to growing demand from system integrators seeking proven thermal imaging technology that can be incorporated into their own solutions.
The sensor is designed for integration across a broad range of applications including stabilised airborne systems, land and naval surveillance, border and coastal security, situational awareness and C-UAS solutions.
Its compact size, weight and power requirements also support integration into platforms where space and available power are constrained.
At the heart of the KENIS 1280 AK is a high-resolution 1280 × 1024 MWIR detector, combined with a 30× continuous optical zoom and HENSOLDT South Africa’s proprietary video-processing technology.
Together, these capabilities provide operators and automated systems with detailed thermal imagery for detecting, tracking and identifying targets at long range.
HEVI Optronics integration
For HEVI Optronics, the KENIS 1280 AK forms part of its approach to delivering high-fidelity sensing capabilities for its HeviTrack-M platforms.
“HEVI Optronics has standardised the integration of the KENIS 1280 sensor suite from HENSOLDT South Africa to meet the growing demand for high-resolution thermal imaging in long-range detection and C-UAS applications,” said Kristjan Tiimus, Chief Executive Officer of HEVI Optronics.
The KENIS 1280 AK is the first sensor from this portfolio that HENSOLDT South Africa is making available as a standalone product.
Its established use within HENSOLDT systems provides system integrators with access to technology that has already been fielded and matured in demanding operational environments.
The agreement with HEVI Optronics demonstrates the potential of this approach and opens further opportunities for HENSOLDT South Africa to support customers developing the next generation of electro-optical and multi-sensor systems.
About HENSOLDT South Africa
HENSOLDT South Africa is a technology and innovation company operating in the defence and security electronics sector. The company offers a comprehensive range of products, systems and services across defence and civil markets including electronic warfare and optronics, spectrum monitoring and security solutions, radar, IFF and datalinks.
With more than 700 South African employees across five sites in South Africa, HENSOLDT South Africa is the HENSOLDT Group’s largest industrial base outside Europe and one of the largest defence and security electronics companies in South Africa.
As HENSOLDT South Africa’s spectrum dominance business unit, GEW provides solutions designed to detect and protect in contemporary defence and civil environments. Its electronic warfare and spectrum monitoring solutions are used across land, maritime and airborne applications.
The GEW® range of products and systems is rooted in almost 60 years of innovation.