The US Army Communications Electronics Command (CECOM) is to take nine Northrop Grumman Tactical Endurance Synthetic Aperture Radar (TESAR) payloads.
Also in the $16.2million contract is provision for two spares and a set of ground control station displays.
TESAR is a compact, lightweight, low-cost surveillance radar with associated ground station displays. The system provides pilots or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with 30cm imagery over all types of terrain, in all weather, day or night.
The system achieved operational status during successful deployment in Taszar, Hungary aboard the Predator UAV in March 1996 as part of Operation Joint Endeavour.
"It has logged more than 1,200 flight hours, providing high-resolution imagery in areas of potential conflict or peace violations. It's the only operational SAR of this size in production today that provides 30cm resolution," says Jock McKinley, manager of Seekers and Sensors at Northrop Grumman ESSD in Los Angeles, where the work for CECOM will be carried out.
Source: Flight Daily News
