BAE SYSTEMS2003-02-19 17:04:36
BAE SYSTEMS PASSES MAJOR AESA DEVELOPMENT MILESTONE
BAE SYSTEMS has achieved a major milestone in the development of the new Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Seaspray 7000E airborne surveillance radar. A Seaspray 7000E radar, mounted in the rooftop radome at BAE SYSTEMS' new state of the art facility in Edinburgh, transmitted over the Firth of Forth for the first time and successfully detected and tracked airborne and naval targets of opportunity.
"This is a major achievement and demonstrates our commitment to the airborne surveillance radar market�, said Dr David Hughes, Executive Vice President, Helicopter Systems. "Having launched Seaspray 7000E at Farnborough International 2002 the first transmission from the AESA antenna illustrates the maturity of this product development, and our readiness to provide systems that meet high performance overland and naval surveillance requirements on all types of airborne platforms. Indeed this new product offers new and innovative operational and logistic opportunities for the service user.�
The Seaspray 7000E radar system builds on the production standard Seaspray 3600 COTS ‘open architecture' processor that is due to enter service in 2003. The functionality of the Seaspray radar is implemented in software, which facilitates the exploitation of the multi-mode capability of the new Seaspray 7000E AESA antenna.
The resultant system offers significant gains over current generation, ‘tube based' high peak power and pulse compression airborne surveillance radar. Comprising only the two line replaceable units, COTS Processor and AESA Antenna, Seaspray 7000E is in the order of 25% lighter than current systems, an order of magnitude more reliable, and offers superior multi-mode performance. The reliability gains completely change the nature of the required maintenance regime, offering very significant improvements in operators' through life costs.
Initially designed as an airborne maritime surveillance radar to meet the requirements of naval helicopters, the flexibility of the technology and the capability of the system enables a wide range of functionality. Seaspray 7000E offers air-to-air, land and naval surveillance for helicopters, UAVs and fixed wing aircraft enabling battlefield surveillance, maritime patrol and maritime surveillance roles to be undertaken.
BAE SYSTEMS has achieved a major milestone in the development of the new Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Seaspray 7000E airborne surveillance radar. A Seaspray 7000E radar, mounted in the rooftop radome at BAE SYSTEMS' new state of the art facility in Edinburgh, transmitted over the Firth of Forth for the first time and successfully detected and tracked airborne and naval targets of opportunity.
"This is a major achievement and demonstrates our commitment to the airborne surveillance radar market�, said Dr David Hughes, Executive Vice President, Helicopter Systems. "Having launched Seaspray 7000E at Farnborough International 2002 the first transmission from the AESA antenna illustrates the maturity of this product development, and our readiness to provide systems that meet high performance overland and naval surveillance requirements on all types of airborne platforms. Indeed this new product offers new and innovative operational and logistic opportunities for the service user.�
The Seaspray 7000E radar system builds on the production standard Seaspray 3600 COTS ‘open architecture' processor that is due to enter service in 2003. The functionality of the Seaspray radar is implemented in software, which facilitates the exploitation of the multi-mode capability of the new Seaspray 7000E AESA antenna.
The resultant system offers significant gains over current generation, ‘tube based' high peak power and pulse compression airborne surveillance radar. Comprising only the two line replaceable units, COTS Processor and AESA Antenna, Seaspray 7000E is in the order of 25% lighter than current systems, an order of magnitude more reliable, and offers superior multi-mode performance. The reliability gains completely change the nature of the required maintenance regime, offering very significant improvements in operators' through life costs.
Initially designed as an airborne maritime surveillance radar to meet the requirements of naval helicopters, the flexibility of the technology and the capability of the system enables a wide range of functionality. Seaspray 7000E offers air-to-air, land and naval surveillance for helicopters, UAVs and fixed wing aircraft enabling battlefield surveillance, maritime patrol and maritime surveillance roles to be undertaken.
For more information contact:
Warwick House
Po Box 87
Farnborough Aerospace Centre
Farnborough
Hampshire
GU14 6YU
United Kingdom
Tel: + 44 1252 373232
Fax: + 44 1252 383000