Ground Surveillance Radar:AMR
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Airbus Defence and Space’s Spexer ground surveillance radar family includes the Spexer500 and the Spexer-1000. Both of these radars use an Active Electronically Scanned Array antenna © Airbus Defence and Space
radar has a solid state architecture (i.e. is not dependent on vacuum tubes), employing Pulse Doppler RF (Radio Frequency) signals transmitted from an AESA antenna. The S-band (2.3-2.5/2.7-3.7GHz) RPS42 uses four AESA antennae each of which provides 90 degrees of azimuth scanning. By grouping four such antennae together it is possible to perform 360 degree surveillance. The RPS-42 forms part of RADA’s Multi-mission Hemispheric Radar (MHR) family which were deployed by the IDF into the Gaza Strip on Israel’s Mediterranean coast during Operation Protective Edge mounted on 8 July 2014 to detect hostile rocket launches by the Hamas Palestinian insurgent organisation. According to Dubi Sella, chief business development officer at the company, “during the conflict, the radars were linked to the (Israeli) central early-warning system, and assisted in the detection of mortar shells, short-range rockets, and UAVs.” The firm is currently supplying its MHR family radars to an unnamed AsiaPacific customer with deliveries concluding in October 2014. RADA’s offerings are reinforced by those of Israel Aerospace Industries’ Elta Systems division. The firms’ EL/M-2105 family of X-band (8.5-10.68GHz) radar use a rotating antenna to detect targets across a 360 azimuth. The EL/M-2105 can detect a walking person at five kilometres (three miles), with such ranges increasing to eight kilometres (five miles) for the EL/M-2105ER and 15km (nine miles) for the EL/M-2105LR. All three radars can track up to 200 targets simultaneously. Foxtrack, meanwhile, is a portable ground surveillance radar produced by Elbit Systems. This X-band FMCW radar can detect pedestrians at six kilometres (four miles) range, and large vehicles at up to 24km (15 miles). Up to 50 targets can be tracked at any one time, and 1000 targets displayed with the entire Foxtrack ensemble being vehicle-mounted.
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UK Utility
Based in England, Blighter Surveillance Systems has carved a niche as a leading supplier of ground surveillance radars. In the Asia-Pacific their products are in service helping to defend the Republic of Korea’s (RoK) northern border with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Blighter’s stable includes the Revolution 360, the B400 series (which equips the RoK), the B303 and the B202 Mk.2. The Revolution 360, as its name suggests, provides 360 degree surveillance and can be deployed either in a vehicle-mounted or a fixed configuration. This Ku-band (13.414/15.7-17.7GHz) radar uses PESA and FMCW architecture and can track up to 700 targets per scan which it can detect at ranges of up to 17 nautical miles (32 kilometres), for a large moving vessel, with a crawling person being detected at 3.2 kilometres (two miles). Some detection of low-flying targets is possible as the radar
Blighter has supplied its radars to several nations around the world l
ASIAN MILITARY REVIEW
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offers 20 degrees of elevation. Bligher’s B400 series are also Ku-band FMCW, PESA radars. They can monitor up to 700 targets, but can see a crawling person at six kilometres (3.7 miles). The principal differences between the B400 family members is found in azimuth: the B402 scans across 180 degrees, the B422 across 270 degrees and the B442 across 360 degrees. The architecture for the B303 is similar to the B400 and Revolution 360, although it has a detection range of 1.5km (one mile) for a crawling person and up to eight kilometres (five miles) for a moving vehicle providing a 180 degree azimuth. Like its siblings, it is able to monitor up to 700 targets. Finally, Blighter’s B202 Mk.2 has a similar detection range to the B303 for a crawling person, and for a large moving vehicle, with an azimuth of up to 90 degrees. Blighter has supplied its radars to customers in the United Kingdom, the United States, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, to name just a few nations. According to Mr. Booth, “The systems gained credibility in the security market through their deployment in 2008 by the British Army as part of an urgent operational requirement.”