The task of combining European and US technology to produce a battlefield surveillance system for NATO is expected to be declared feasible by the six nations behind the Transatlantic Cooperative Airborne Radar (TCAR) programme. The imminent declaration is a major milestone for the Northrop Grumman-led Transatlantic Industrial Proposed Solution (TIPS) team selected to develop NATO's Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system. "TIPS supports TCAR as the only option for the AGS radar," says programme director Matt Copija.
The TCAR system will combine elements of the US multi-platform radar technology insertion programme (MP-RTIP) and European Sostar radars. The European partners are expected to provide the active-array antenna, while the USA, with 30% of the TCAR programme, will be involved mainly in signal processing and software.
While TCAR will use technology from MP-RTIP and Sostar, development of the radar by the 2010 initial operational capability date planned for NATO AGS is "going to be close", says Copija. NATO has yet to decide which TCAR-equipped platform will be operational first, the manned Airbus A321 or Northrop Grumman Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle, he says.
NATO is working on a memorandum of understanding for the overall AGS programme, complete with an annexe covering the initial design and development phase. This is to be ready next February, with participating nations signing for the programme in mid-2005, when TIPS expects to receive a contract for the 30-month phase.
The €3.5 billion ($4.2 billion) AGS programme includes radar production - but not development of TCAR, which will be funded separately by the six nations involved. The programme includes five A321s equipped with 5.5m (18ft)-long radar antennas and seven Global Hawks with 2.7m antennas. TCAR will provide synthetic-aperture radar ground imaging, plus moving target indication.
GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC
Source: Flight International
