News

2018-10-01

Military Radars to Meet Global Demand

A military radar is a device used for early detection of missiles providing surveillance across borders day and night and in extreme weather conditions. Its basic components include transmitter, duplexer, receiver, radar antenna, and indicator Military radars are easy to operate with low manning required and the international radar sector has seen several recent changes with developments in range, electronic warfare and detection producing signi!cant growth in army, navy, air and space-based systems. The advent of technologically-enhanced radar systems such as Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA), coupled with changing warfare tactics, are providing a signi!cant push to the growth of the global military radar market.

Today, North America accounts for the largest military radar market. The global military radar market was valued at US $14 billion in 2017, growing at a CAGR of 2.46 per cent to reach US $17.8 billion by 2027. The cumulative market for global expenditure on military radar will reach US $162.1 billion over the forecast period 2017-2027.

Government procurement of new hi-tech weapon and the miniaturisation and automation of surveillance and defence systems will start to drive growth of military radar market by the end of 2024. However, the signi!cant cost of spacebased radars and growing cyber warfare may hinder the growth of military radar market over the forecast period.

Military Radar Market

The airborne segment of the global military radar market is the largest thanks to the increasing risk of air strike. With continual investment in the development of advanced radar systems, the U.S. has initiated various programmes to upgrade its existing radar systems with programmes and investments expected to drive the overall spending to US $62.1 billion over the period forecast.

Europe also projects signi!cant growth for the same period, riding on the back of growing adoption of multi-function radars, with the U.K. believed to be a major contributor in the military radar market. The ground-based military radar segment is expected to be driven by several countries’ need to upgrade missile and air defence systems with the latest in radar technology, alongside the development of more Early Warning Radar systems.

The procurement of ground-based radars has been partly fuelled by the threat of missile attacks emanating from North Korea and Iran, to name two countries that have developed missile and nuclear technology despite international sanctions. The Asia-Paci!c region has hence captured the second largest military-radar market in 2017 with a rising need for improved border safety.

The Asia-Paci!c region promises the most lucrative market due to emerging economies such as China and India whose growing territorial disputes are augmenting demand for military radar. When coupled with government initiatives to improve border defense, positive GDP !gures will propel military radar growth market, giving us the opportunity here to review the offering of the major key players in the military radar market: Northrop Grumman Corporation, Lockheed

Martin Corporation, Raytheon, General Dynamics, Thales Group, Saab, Leonardo, BAE Systems and Hensoldt.

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Northrop Grumman is a pioneer of Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar at the forefront of innovations for more than 60 years, with a 40-year legacy producing radars for the F-16. In August 2018, Northrop Grumman Corporation successfully installed a production APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) on a U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18C Hornet at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California.

The U.S. Air Force selected Northrop Grumman’s APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) in 2017, as the AESA !re control for F-16 radar upgrade. APG-83 SABR integrates with the F-16’s current structural, power and cooling constraints. The capabilities of this advanced AESA are derived from Northrop Grumman’s family of highly successful 5th generation!ghter AESA radars; the F-22’s APG-77 and F-35’s APG-81.

The world's newest !ghter aircraft and legacy #eets are equipped with AESA radars to counter sophisticated threats. The APG-83 AESA hence provides capability enhancements over legacy, mechanically-scanned APG-66 & APG-68 radars to ensure F-16s, F-18s and other 4th-gen aircraft remain operationally viable and sustainable for decades to come.

The greater bandwidth, speed, and agility of Northrop Grumman’s APG-83 SABR enables the F-16 to detect, track and identify greater numbers of targets faster and at longer ranges without Group A aircraft modi!cation. The radar also operates in hostile electronic environments and features all-weather, high-resolution synthetic aperture-radar mapping, presenting the pilot with a large surface image enabling precision target identi!cation and strike.

Lockheed Martin Radar Family

Lockheed Martin’s radar and electro-optical/infrared sensor systems provide advanced precision targeting, navigation,threat detection and next-generation intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

TPS-77MRR Radar:

Lockheed Martin recently completed production of the !rst TPS-77 Multi-Role Radar (TPS-77 MRR) for the Republic of Latvia’s Ministry of Defence following a 15-year partnership in radar development and training. The TPS-77 MRR is the latest version in Lockheed Martin’s successful product line of surveillance radars, developed in response to the evolving needs of armed forces on the battle!eld.

The TPS-77 MRR is quickly adaptable to a variety of surveillance missions, with the radar’s multi-role single-scan technology allowing operators in speci!c sectors to select roles for the radar, such as long-range or medium-range lowlevel #ight surveillance and including helicopter detection. As the radar rotates through each 360-degree scan, the system automatically adjusts to the operator’s selected mission, while changes can be made easily if the system ismoved or if the mission is changed.

The design also incorporates Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology which provides for ultra-low power consumption and high reliability to ensure radar operation over extended time periods. The radar can be truck mounted for rapid deployment at unprepared sites and can be dismounted for use at !xed sites, so giving the user more options and mobility on the ever-changing battle!eld.

The MRR hence combines the best performance and reliability in the surveillance industry in a mobile and cost-effective package. All of Lockheed Martin’s TPS-59, FPS-117, TPS-77 and TPS-77 MRR radar systems, of which there are over 180 in the world, continue to operate as designed. No Lockheed Martin radar systems have ever been taken out of service and the radars advance regularly through technology and sustainment opportunities to demonstrate that they are capable of performing well past their original service lives.

Q-53:

The solid-state phased array AN/TPQ-53 radar system, or Q-53, detects, classi!es, tracks, and determines the location of enemy indirect !re in either 360 or 90-degree modes, to replace the aging AN/TPQ-36 and AN/TPQ-37 medium-range radars in the U.S. Army’s inventory. The Q-53 provides enhanced performance, including greater mobility, increased reliability and supportability, lower life-cycle cost and reduced crew size.

In 2017, the U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin an order-dependent contract for additional Q-53 systems, bringing the company’s total contracts to more than 100 radar systems since 2007 and now more than 170 with this full-rate production contract award. The Q-53’s active electronically scanned array (AESA) provides the foundation for multimission capabilities with the ability to identify and track unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and incorporating air surveillance simultaneously with counter-target acquisition in a single sensor.

Since 2010, the Q-53 has supported counter-insurgency missions as well as high-intensity combat operations because the highly mobile system can be set up in !ve minutes on the battle!eld and taken down in two to support two-man operation. The !rst in and last out, soldiers can use 90- or 360-degree modes for Q-53 detection of mortars, rockets, and artillery.

Raytheon’s Advanced Combat Radar

Thanks to decades of nonstop innovation, Raytheon remains at the forefront of the radar revolution. Now the RACR, Raytheon’s new !ghter aircraft radar distils the best of the AESA family into a compact package of advanced multimode capability.

According to Raytheon, Lightweight and powerful, RACR is a formidable force for aircrew survivability and mission success, giving war!ghters decisive tactical advantages through higher resolution and longer standoff range, with 5 to 10 times more operational availability than MSA radars.

Compact, lightweight and scalable while simultaneously detecting, identifying and tracking multiple air and surface targets, RACR is suitable for F-16, F/A-18 EA-18G and F-15 platforms. Along with other aircraft, it gives pilots critical tactical advantages in today's net-centric battlespace.

RACR builds upon Raytheon's experience in !elding advanced air-to-air and air-to-surface multimode AESA radars to provide superior operational performance tailored to any !ghter platform's size, space, weight and radome requirements. After completing a record 24-months development, a series of #ight trials have been successfully completed on a U.S. Air Force F-16 at Edwards Air Force Base, California, highlighting the multirole capabilities RACR can offer for an operational edge.

Raytheon's #exible, modular approach ensures that the form-!tted RACR could be a drop-in upgrade for the F-16 and F/ A-18s to minimise aircraft modi!cation time and aircrew transition training. This advanced, nonintrusive radar can hence leverage active production lines, ensuring the fastest delivery and the lowest possible cost.

Thales Ground Master 400

As part of Thales’ fully digital 3D air defence-radar family, the Ground Master 400 is designed to protect key assets to forces deployed on remote operations. It is the only system of its kind to combine superior detection of air threats at any altitude – notably, high manoeuvring targets at low elevation – with an unprecedented level of availability and mobility in one single ISO 20 ft container.

Available in mobile or !xed version, Ground Master 400 can be delivered either in standalone con!guration, controlled and maintained from a remote location, or delivered in association with an integrated command-and-control centre. The fully-automated system is #exible, scalable and includes an intuitive user interface, enabling operators to establish the air situation autonomously and report to the national authorities in real time to contribute to national security. It complies with the latest European environmental installation standards thanks to its innovative algorithms allowing the best mitigation of wind turbines effects; for example, in the vicinity of wind farms.

In the maritime space, ultra-quiet submarines pose a continuing threat, whilst the use of small fast-attack craft and jet skis by pirates and other illegal operators is an increasingly serious concern. The SEARCHMASTER multi-role surveillance radar from Thales is the solution to this scenario.

SEARCHMASTER offers the highest level of operational performance, regardless of mission or host platform, to track ultra-quiet submarines in maritime space and the small fast-attack craft and jet skis used by pirates and other illegal operators. In large land areas, it can search and track a small moving vehicle or !xed object of interest, while also operating along extensive borders and providing surveillance against illegal traffic using small aircraft.

BAE Systems’ CW Doppler

The CW Doppler Radar is an advanced tracking radar providing precise TSPI data on a range of non-cooperative targets. BAE Systems primarily intended it for tracking ballistic targets, but the Doppler is also capable of providing highly accurate track data on rockets, missiles and aircraft at long ranges. In addition, the Doppler’s Multi-Frequency Ranging option (MFR) provides direct range measurements on moving targets.

SAAB’s Multi-function Radars

Saab’s popular Giraffe, Sea Giraffe and Arthur surface-radar systems provide air defense, air surveillance, weapons location, sense-and-warn and naval warfare, now adding Giraffe 4A with an all-new radar sensor based on AESA technology. U.S. Navy has recently announced selection the Sea Giraffe AMB for the U.S. Coast Guard’s newest class of ship, the Offshore Patrol Cutter.

Giraffe 4A combines the battle-proven designs from the Arthur and Giraffe AMB product families with an all-new radar sensor, based on AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) technology. This new radar gives commanding officers very high situation awareness through simultaneous air surveillance and GBAD target acquisition together with weapon

locating capacity without performance degradation. The choice is now between search in the entire 360° volume or aoptimised search in a sector (40°-120°), both with coverage up to 70° of elevation.

Leonardo’s Advanced Radar Portfolio

Leonardo’s in-house laboratories integrate innovative new components within their existing radar portfolio, most notablythe AESA Kronos family radar, with !xed faces, staring and rotating X, C and L band, based on its fully-owned GaAs andGaN technologies.

Leonardo’s radar portfolio includes the RAT 31 family long-range radar, !xed and deployable for Early Warning Surveillance and Fire Control Radar (NA30S family and Falco Plus) for gunnery control and missile battery guidance. Meanwhile, their Land & Naval Defence Electronics Division’s wide range of radar sensors includes passive surveillance (AULOS), Precision Approach Radar (PAR), IFF for Naval and Land application and 2-D surveillance radar for coastal and navigation applications.

Leonardo’s KRONOS DUAL BAND is a new AESA dual-band non-rotating four-face !xed radar system, suitable for installation on several naval platforms and heightening system performance against air breathing and ballistic threats. By combining two AESA radar architectures – KRONOS Quad with four !xed panels in C Band and KRONOS StarFire with four

!xed panels in X Band – the number of TRMs is !xed according to required performance while scalable architecture, task re-con!gurability and dynamic allocation allows simultaneous surveillance, dedicated racking, missile guidance, gun!re support and electronic attack in all directions.

On the other hand, KRONOS GRAND NAVAL is an advanced multifunctional AESA radar used for the Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS), KRONOS GRAND NAVAL applications include extended self-defence, air/surface surveillance and multiple target tracking, volumetric search and multiple missiles guidance.

Hensoldt TRS-3D System

Hensoldt’s TRS-3D modular, countermeasure-resistant medium-range air and surface surveillance system is a multimode phased-array C-band radar. It is capable of fully automatic detection, track initiation, and classi!cation of various types of targets with a particular emphasis on small, fast, and low-#ying aircraft, missiles, hovering helicopters and asymmetric threats.

TRS-3D ensures minimal operator workload while maximising operational effectiveness, with solid state transmitter technology offering graceful degradation and high operational availability, especially for the bene!t of extended missions. Detection covers up to 200 km with update times of 1-6 seconds to support multiple self-defence missile systems or serve as a standalone radar for the surveillance requirements of littoral single-radar ship and for self-defence on large frigates and multi-radar ships.

TRS-3D operating in NATO G band is the best compromise for long-range detection performance and short reaction times for cueing weapon systems and dedicated !re control sensors. High tracking accuracy permits multi-missile operation against aircraft and anti-ship missiles thanks to the instantaneous supply of reliable target data and an accurate gun !re support mode eliminating need for a dedicated !re control system for surface targets. The lightweight primary antenna is !tted with an integrated Mode 5/Scapable IFF antenna enabling correlation of primary and secondary radar plots/tracks within its own radar tracker, so providing even higher quality.

Challenging Times

Governments are procuring hi-tech weapons due to factors such as growing concerns regarding border security acrossthe globe and continuous threat from neighboring countries. This is expected to #ourish the growth of military radar market by the end of 2024. However, the high cost of space-based radars is expected to hinder the growth of military radar market over the forecast period. Growing cyber warfare is also another factor hampering the growth of the market.

Reference Text/Photo:

www.baesystems.com

www.saabgroup.com

www.northropgrumman.com

www.lockheedmartin.com

www.thalesgroup.fr

www.leonardocompany.com

www.raytheon.com

Comments () Views (3061 ) Print

Send To Friend