Gadget That Can Detect Enemies Behind Wall For Sale To AFP

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

          Czech  maker says soldiers become effective in Urban Warfare

PASAY CITY, Philippines – Soldiers in the country will  be more effective in an urban warfare like in Marawi City with the  RETWis 5 radar  being sold by the Czechoslovakia arms maker to the Philippines government.

Ondrej Vanac, Czech regional sales director of CSG Aerospace Division, told recently this writer that the RETWis 5  will show to the government troops who man it how many people are on the other part of the wall or non-metallic barrier.

“It can detect the target based on chest movement that’s how sensitive it is. If there is something under the debris under the earthquake, rescue through chest movement,” Vanáč stressed.

MODERN URBAN WAR - A soldier in the illustration watches the screen of the portable Czechoslovakia made RETWis 5 radar how many armed enemies are behind the wall. The radar can detect living persons and animals in motion and at rest based on their breathing and chest movement.

In the last year’s devastating urban war in Marawi City Philippine elite troops like the Scout Rangers, Special Action Force, and the Marine Corps Recon lack this gadget to detect the Islamist radical terrorists hiding on the other parts of the walls of the edifices there.

Its brochure given to this newspaper said that the RETWis 5  (RETIA Through-Wall Imaging System) is a unique small portable radar detecting living entities behind a wall or a non-metallic barrier.

It is small dimensions, low weight and a long operation period highly portable device suitable for multi-purpose usage for special police and military units.

Vanáč  cited that it can be used for search and rescue operation like those survivors who are buried by debris after a calamity hit the place.

The brochure disclosed that signal processing of the RETWis 5 radar, optimized for the detection of small changes triggered human or animal movement, enables localization, for example, of a human being based only on breathing.

He said the gadget has been tested in the war in Afghanistan and is being used by theCzechoslovak Army.

“It’s a new functioning piece. We have already tested it in Czechoslovakia right now as we speak. This is a three months old technology. The original version was made three years ago but this one is quite unique it is half lighter by 3.25 kilogram and it is really easy to deploy just fix it like this,” as he demonstrated to this newspaper how to use the portable radar.

Vanáč cited that when the radar range is used horizontally it can be effective up to 40 meters but can be used too to detect a human being four meters below the ground.

The brochure stated that the other features of  ReTWis 5 it has a dimension of 345 x 280 x 112 mm; Battery life 5 hours; Launching time; 20 seconds; Displaying 2D-3d; Display 7”; Remote control LAN, WIFI; Technology UWB-SFCW; Operation Frequency 1.9 to 3.7 GHGz; Transmitting power -10 mW; Displaying Angle 120 horizontally, 90 in elevation.

He said he could not divulge to this writer the price of the RETWis 5 radar because it is classified except to the buyers like the Phlilippine government.

In the Horizon II (2018-2022 ) of the Republic Act 10349, the Duterte Administration is mandated by law to buy  artillery, light tanks, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and others in the allocated budget of $1.44 billion for the Philippine Army.

Portable radars like the ReTWis 5 is not mentioned there.