UK Ministry of Defence has placed order for additional Giraffe AMB radar systems plus upgrades of the existing systems and associated eq...
UK Ministry of Defence has placed order for additional Giraffe AMB radar systems plus upgrades of the existing systems and associated equipment with Swedish Saab.
The Giraffe AMB medium-range 3D radar surveillance system is reportedly being acquired to bolster the air defense cover of the disputed Falkland Islands, against future threat from Argentina.The Giraffe AMB can classify and track fixed wing, helicopter, surface, jammer and ballistic targets.
Saab will begin delivery of the $74 million worth order, during the second half of 2015 and continue until 2018.
The Giraffe AMB radar provides a full 360° update of the air situation out to 120 km every second. It can operate in challenging environments such as mountains, complex coastal regions and wind farm areas.
The upgrade will take the UK’s existing systems to the same production-build standard as the new Giraffe AMB, enhancing the primary radar’s performance and capacity. It also keeps the UK’s radars in line with the Giraffe product roadmap.
This, in turn, will enable the addition of a unique capability to spot small UAS vehicles and the capacity to screen out difficult radar ‘clutter’, such as birds.
Development and production will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The multi-mission Giraffe AMB surveillance radar system was first acquired by the United Kingdom in 2008 as part of the Land Environment Air Picture Provision (LEAPP) programme. Since deliveries started in 2010 it has been used to provide the real-time air picture in support of airspace management on deployed operations and at major events in the UK. It has also made a vital contribution to force protection through the detection and prediction of impact of incoming rockets, artillery shells and mortars.
The Giraffe AMB is part of Saab’s Giraffe product family that includes high-performance air and sea surveillance and target indication radars, covering very short to long ranges. The Giraffe also has essential command and control for ground based air defence and sense-and-warn applications.
