Simrad Optroncis AS, is the holding company of Simrad Optronics Group located at Nøtterøy, Norway. Simrad Optronics Group is a global niche supplier to the defence industry, with production facilities in Norway and Maine, USA. Daughter companies include Vinghøg AS at Nøtterøy

Nøtterøy

Nøtterøy is a municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Borgheim.The parish of Nøtterø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...

, Norway and Vingtech Corporation

Corporation

A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...

 in Maine

Maine

Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...

, USA. The company was listed on Oslo Stock Exchange until July 2010. As of July 12th 2010 Rheinmetall AG is the company's sole shareholder; following a voluntary offer of May 12th to acquire all issued and outstanding shares in the company.

The company supplies products in four main product areas:

Remote Weapon Systems

CCD cameras, weapon integration, firing solenoid

Solenoid

A solenoid is a coil wound into a tightly packed helix. In physics, the term solenoid refers to a long, thin loop of wire, often wrapped around a metallic core, which produces a magnetic field when an electric current is passed through it. Solenoids are important because they can create...

s and laser

Laser

A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...

s for Remote Weapon Systems.

Electro-optics

Advanced optoelectronics

Optoelectronics

Optoelectronics is the study and application of electronic devices that source, detect and control light, usually considered a sub-field of photonics. In this context, light often includes invisible forms of radiation such as gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet and infrared, in addition to visible light...

 observation, laser

Laser

A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...

 and sight systems for various applications, including night vision

Night vision

Night vision is the ability to see in low light conditions. Whether by biological or technological means, night vision is made possible by a combination of two approaches: sufficient spectral range, and sufficient intensity range...

.

Weapon Improvement Products

Integration of a wide range of small - and medium caliber

Caliber

In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....

 guns to vehicle and ground mounted system

Vehicle Systems

High-end observation and target acquisition

Target Acquisition

In the military, target acquisition denotes any process that provides detailed information about enemy forces and locates them with sufficient accuracy to permit continued monitoring or attacking it....

 systems for light and heavy military vehicles

There are today three companies using the Simrad brand

Brand

The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...

:

Simrad Optronics AS, as described in this article.

Simrad commercial maritime applications (fish finding electronics as echo sounders, catch monitoring systems, trawl sonars etc.), made by Kongsberg Simrad now part of Kongsberg Maritime

Kongsberg Maritime

Kongsberg Maritime is a Norwegian technology enterprise within the Kongsberg Gruppen . Kongsberg Maritime deliver systems for positioning, surveying, navigation and automation to merchant vessels and offshore installations...

 a division of Kongsberg Gruppen

Kongsberg Gruppen

Kongsberg Gruppen is Norway's major defence contractor and maritime automation supplier, located in Kongsberg, a former mining town....

.

Simrad consumer maritime applications (marine electronics as radars, navigation, autopilots etc.), made by Navico

Navico

Navico is the world’s largest developer, manufacturer and distributor of marine electronics for the recreational market, supplying over 100 countries around the world. The company was created in March 2006 through the merger of Simrad Yachting and Lowrance Electronics by their common owners, Altor...

.


The reason for three different companies with different owners using the same brand name is the common history, as the name comes from the original SIMRAD company founded in Oslo, Norway in 1947, by Mr. Willy Simonsen, making marine VHF radio

Marine VHF radio

Marine VHF radio is installed on all large ships and most seagoing small craft. It is used for a wide variety of purposes, including summoning rescue services and communicating with harbours, locks, bridges and marinas, and operates in the VHF frequency range, between 156 to 174 MHz...

s and sonar

Sonar

Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...

application for the commercial fishery fleet. The name was an abbreviation of Simonsen Radio.