Elbit Unveils Xplore Radar That Lets Pilots See Through Fog, Smoke and Total Darkness

Israeli defense powerhouse Elbit Systems has unveiled Xplore, a millimeter-wave imaging radar built to solve one of military aviation's most persistent and deadly problems: helicopter crews losing more aircraft to lost visibility than to enemy fire. Brownout during landing, fog rolling over a ridgeline, smoke blanketing the objective, or a moonless night can all strip a pilot of the outside view at the exact moment it matters most, taking with it situational awareness, obstacle clearance, and any sense of orientation. Xplore is designed to keep that view alive no matter what the environment throws at the crew.

The system works by penetrating dust, fog, smoke, and cloud cover, mapping the surrounding terrain and obstacles in real time and painting that picture directly onto the pilot's helmet display. Rather than fighting through a degraded, near-blind environment, the crew flies on a clear, day-like image even as conditions outside remain hazardous, enabling true nap-of-the-earth flight in full degraded visual environment conditions, reliable navigation when GPS is denied or jammed, and continuous obstacle and traffic warning from cruise all the way through touchdown. Elbit's own promotional footage shows test flights fusing radar, satellite, and infrared data on the helmet display, with the system accurately marking obstacles and integrating with existing platforms like the X-Sight helmet-mounted display.

What sets Xplore apart, according to Elbit, is its low size, weight, power and cost footprint, meaning the technology can be retrofitted onto existing helicopter fleets without a costly overhaul. For military and rescue operators alike, the promise is simple but powerful: fly anywhere, anytime, regardless of what the weather, terrain, or battlefield smoke throws in the way. As modern conflicts increasingly play out in contested, GPS-denied, and visually degraded environments, systems like Xplore represent exactly the kind of edge that keeps aircrews alive and mission-capable when the outside world goes dark.