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11 Jan 18. Lockheed enhances capability of its Aegis missile-defense system. Lockheed Martin Corp said on Thursday it had connected key components of its new long-range discrimination radar (LRDR) with its Aegis Ashore missile-defense system to enhance Aegis’s capabilities. With this technology, the Aegis missile-defense system – a collection of radar stations and interceptors – will be simultaneously able to detect threats from longer distances and combat targets with reduced reaction time, the U.S. weapons maker said.
In December, Japan decided to expand its ballistic missile defense system with Lockheed’s ground-based Aegis in response to a growing threat from North Korean rockets.
Japan intends to build two Aegis Ashore batteries that will likely cost at least $2bn and are not expected to be operational at least until 2023.
Raytheon Co’s solid-state radar offering, SPY-6, would be a competitor to Lockheed’s improved offering. (Source: Reuters)
10 Jan 18. Saab hoping to edge its radar into Navy’s future frigate program. The Navy has tapped Raytheon’s Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar as its preferred radar for the future frigate, but Swedish defense company Saab is closely watching the program to see if an opening develops for its Sea Giraffe agile multibeam radar, company officials said Monday.
Saab believes its Sea Giraffe might be able to fill a complimentary role on the future frigate, known as FFG(X), even if the Navy moves ahead with its presumed choice of EASR, said Jay Abendroth, Saab’s vice president and general manager of sensor systems.
“Right now, EASR is the main surveillance radar on there,” he told Defense News during an interview on the floor of the Surface Navy Association symposium.
“What they are going to expect the frigate to do does open a lot of potentials, because again it’s not just about air surveillance with this set of radars, it gets a lot more into the other missions — navigation and other things — that might not actually be required of EASR. There may be other radar or sensor packages that will do those missions as well.”
Click here to see more coverage of Surface Navy Association symposium 2018!
Saab’s Sea Giraffe family of systems has been a success story for its U.S. radar business. General Dynamics in 2005 selected the Sea Giraffe for the Independence-class littoral combat ship built by Austal, after which the Navy gave it the designation AN/SPS-77.
A derivative of the AN/SPS-77, called the multi-mode radar, has been chosen for the Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutter, with first delivery expected this year. The company is also adapting the AN/SPS-77 for Nimitz-class carriers as well as America-class and Wasp-class amphibious assault ships, where it will support air traffic control.
Saab is under contract to provide the AN-SPS-77 for littoral combat ships up to LCS 30, and the program is slated to end after 32 ships are produced. However, there are signs that the Navy could expand the LCS shipbuilding program even as they press ahead with the development of FFG(X). (Source: Defense News)
10 Jan 18. RT LTA Systems Ltd, developer and manufacturer of aerostat systems, has recently completed the delivery of its first Crow1 aerostat system to a European customer.
Crow1 is the civil model of the well-known SkyStar 180 aerostat. The Crow1 aerostat will be used by the customer for security missions. Crow1, the civil model of the SkyStar 180, is a small sized, mobile aerostat designed to be used by civil clients for security, critical infrastructure protection, public safety, VIP protection and crowd control. The Crow1 aerostat system is ideal for persistent surveillance and communication over long periods of time at a very minimal cost.
Rami Shmueli, RT’s CEO: “We are honored to provide the first CROW1, our advanced civil model of the