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18 Oct 17. Rafael Offers South Korea Laser for C-UAV System. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is offering to integrate the laser ‘kill’ system it has developed for its Drone Dome counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) system onto South Korea’s own domestically built solution.
Speaking to Jane’s at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (ADEX) 2017, a Rafael representative who asked not to be identified for security reasons said that, while South Korea has decided to adopt its own C-UAV system, this currently has no ‘kill’ element to it. The laser that Rafael originally developed for its Iron Beam counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) system and later adapted for the Drone Dome as the ‘Lite Beam’ could be easily integrated, the representative said.
As noted by the representative, in its entirety the Drone Dome comprises three separate elements that combine to provide protection against illicit UAVs out to a detection range of approximately 3 km and a kill range of approximately 2 km. These elements are the detection system, command and control (C2), and the kill effector.
Detection is provided by a combination of a RADA RPS-42 S-band multi-mission 90 degree hemispheric radar (four radars to give a full 360 degree coverage) and a Controp MEOS electro-optical (EO)/infrared surveillance suite; C2 by a command console; and the effector, which can be the Lite Beam laser, jamming, or even a high-pressured water gun depending on the threat. (Source: UAS VISION/IHS Jane’s)
19 Oct 17. Lockheed’s ATHENA system uses RADA’s MHR in recent tests. RADA Electronic Industries’ multimission hemispheric radar (MHR) was used in a recent testing of the advanced test high-energy asset (ATHENA) system.
Lockheed Martin designed ATHENA for use against airborne targets and is equipped with sensors, software and specialised optics.
The ATHENA system used MHR to perform aerial surveillance, detect the aerial threats and cue the optics to the aerial targets.
It was tested as part of a cooperative research and development agreement signed between Lockheed Martin and US Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC).
RADA said it recently added the ‘On-the-Move’ (OTM) operational capability to its MHR radar family.
The OTM capability is claimed to improve the operational envelope of counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) weapon systems and enables them to mitigate these threats in all combat scenarios.
RADA CEO Dov Sella said: “The integration and utilisation of our MHR by leading high-energy laser providers such as Lockheed Martin and others prove the viability of our radars to these advanced and futuristic weapon systems.
“We hope that when this market matures, our radars will be an integral part of these advanced defence solutions.”
During the tests conducted at the US Army’s White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the 30kW class ATHENA system brought down five 10.8ft-wingspan Outlaw unmanned aerial systems.
The system defeated airborne targets in flight by causing loss of control and structural failure, Lockheed stated.
The tests validated ATHENA’s ability to deliver decisive lethality against UAV threats. (Source: army-technology.com)
19 Oct 17. The Department of Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium (DOTC) awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) a contract for the technology maturation of Lower Tier Air & Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) prototypes. DOTC, commissioned by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, is a DoD initiative intended to facilitate collaboration between the government, industry and academia for technology development and prototyping. The funding from DOTC is used for technology development efforts that will further define performance requirements, mature technology and reduce risk for the LTAMDS program.
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