Thales-Raytheon Systems receives FMS from Latvia for Sentinel AN/MPQ-64F1 radar systems 22509151

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Defence & Security News - Latvia
 
Thales-Raytheon Systems receives FMS from Latvia for Sentinel AN/MPQ-64F1 radar systems
Thales-Raytheon Systems has been awarded a $22,732,500 foreign military sales contract to provide Latvia with Sentinel AN/MPQ-64F1 radars, spares, interactive electronic technical manuals, test equipment, associated equipment, Sentinel operator training, and Sentinel maintainer training. Work will be performed in Latvia with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2016.
     
Thales Raytheon Systems receives FMS from Latvia for Sentinel AN MPQ 64F1 radar systems 640 001Thales-Raytheon Systems Sentinel AN/MPQ-64F1 radar system
     
The AN/MPQ-64F1 Improved Sentinel air defense radar automatically detects, tracks, identifies, classifies and reports airborne threats. More than 200 systems have been ordered worldwide, with more than 100 delivered or in production. Future enhancements currently in development include an 80 percent increase in the radar’s detection range.

Its primary mission is to automatically detect, track, identify, and report airborne threats, including helicopters, high speed attack aircraft, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The Improved Sentinel is the standard for the alerting and cueing of targets to support a variety of weapons, including Stinger missile based SHORAD weapon systems, VSHORAD missile systems and air defense guns. This advanced tactical radar detects and tracks threat aircraft at several times the range of short-range weapons, providing early warning to ground crews and supporting maximum-range engagement of threats. The Sentinel’s extended acquisition range is optimally suited for medium range engagements with missile systems such as HAWK and Beyond Visual Range Engagements (BVRE) with Surface Launched – Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (SL-AMRAAM).

The new signal data processor of the Improved Sentinel has multiple On-Board Computers and is upgraded with a 10 slot VME-64x rack. Incorporation of the latest COTS technology brings improved A/D processing,- faster radar control processing and additional slot availability for future growth of the radar.

The Improved Sentinel also includes a new Exciter and Receiver. The Exciter is an X-Band, Single Lowest Replaceable Unit (LRU) that utilizes a single master oscillator to generate frequency. This provides the benefit of lower noise that allows for improved detection in Clutter. The radar’s Receiver is a Single Channel, X-Band Frequency, Single LRU which is designed to work in concert with the new Exciter.

The X-Band Transmitter is modular and scalable from two to four TWT based Power Amplifiers for increased radar range and reliability. The New DC Motor Controller has a new digital interface to the Signal Data Processor which provides selectable operator control of antenna direction and speed.

It is readily available in an aerostat borne configuration, easily adaptable onto towers and platforms, in addition to its standard ground based tactical configuration. In the Elevated Sentinel configuration, the radar has been repackaged in a lightweight, highly effective system mounted to a 38 meter Aerostat, capable of extended deployments of up to 14 days of continuous operation. The Elevated Sentinel is ideally suited for extended range coverage of ~150km for air defense, early warning and/or air surveillance missions.

The Improved Sentinel can be mounted onto elevated platforms at any height. It can be placed on a platform in its trailer mounted configuration or palletized and hard mounted directly onto the platform itself. It can also be mounted inside a radome if desired. No other single radar provides this level of adaptability and versatility to meet the unique needs/requirements of the customer.

For securing urban or isolated sites from covert aerial threats, the Improved Sentinel Radar is second to none. The radar has proven experience protecting critical assets, key infrastructure and high profile events from airborne threats flying below the horizon of conventional long range air defense radars. The highly mobile Improved Sentinel Radar delivers accurate low-altitude surveillance of small to large airborne objects, including cruise missiles, domestic and military aircraft, UAVs, helicopters and small ultralight aircraft. The radar will detect, identify, classify and track aircraft (i.e., Fixed Wing, Rotary Wing, etc.) from the nap of the earth to 55º in elevation and 360º azimuth within an airspace search range of more than 75km.

In its ground based configuration the Improved Sentinel radar system consists of an Antenna Transceiver Group (ATG) and the HMMWV based prime mover group (HVG). The system also includes an integrated identification friend or foe (IFF) capability that helps prevent fratricide. The Improved Sentinel is fully operational in minutes. It can be emplaced in less than 15 minutes and march ordered in less than 10 minutes by a two person crew. There is no need for any additional special ground handling equipment or personnel. Only a two person crew is required for full Sentinel operation; one operator and one maintainer. The highly transportable Improved Sentinel Radar meets today’s force structure reductions by maximizing system deployability and survivability, while minimizing crew requirements.