Stewart Penney/LONDON
Thales Defence has been awarded a contract by the UK Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA)to build a technology demonstrator for a synthetic aperture radar (SAR)contained in a pod that can be mounted on a fast jet for reconnaissance.
SAR is typically carried by large aircraft which are stable platforms, allowing the radar to create photographic-like images. A fast jet is less stable and manoeuvres more than a typical SAR-equipped aircraft, requiring significant "motion compensation" signal processing of the data to produce a sharp, reconnaissance-resolution image.
Thales, through its purchase of Racal, has acquired significant SAR experience and has worked closely with DERA to develop the technology. Other bidders for the "Pod SAR" technology demonstrator were BAE Systems and Elta, the latter of which already markets a fighter SAR system.
A DERA source says the programme will last three years, consisting of a two-year build phase, six months integration with a yet to be selected fast jet and a six month data collection and analysis phase. During later stages, DERA-developed image processing algorithms could be applied to the data to improve the picture quality.
Unlike electro-optical (EO) systems, SAR is weather independent and can see through cloud. A decision to develop Pod SAR as an operational system is likely to be taken after the technology demonstration is concluded. In service, a system would be for tactical use alongside the Raytheon Raptor EO pod and other elements of the intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance mix, which will include the Raytheon ASTOR ground surveillance system and potentially unmanned air vehicles.
The US Navy has reissued its broad area announcement for a demonstration of a SAR pod with precision targeting capabilities on the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. The competition was re-opened as the original solicitation understated the power available to the system. Proposals are due by 26 April. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control-Orlando is bidding a SAR based on the Elta EL/M-206P, and Lockheed Martin Management & Data Systems is proposing the Modular SAR System also known as Falcon SAR. General Atomics is offering its Lynx radar.Source: Flight International
