Thales wins contract with Canada for tactical control radars.

According to a press release published by the Government of Canada on June 17, 2021, Public Services and Procurement Canada has awarded two contracts, valued at a total of $186 million (taxes included), to Thales Canada Inc. for the purchase and in-service support of three new tactical control radars.

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The Royal Canadian Air Force AN/TPS-70 radar (Picture source: NATO)

These new radars will enable the Royal Canadian Air Force to detect, identify and direct fighter interceptors to potential threats in Canadian and North American aerospace. These radars can also be transported and deployed worldwide to support operations and training exercises for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Two of these radars will replace the existing ones located at 4 Wing Cold Lake, in Alberta, and 3 Wing Bagotville, in Quebec, and the third one will be used as needed, based on Canadian Armed Forces operational requirements. First deliveries of the new radars are expected to begin in 2023.

The radars provided by Thales Canada Inc. are manufactured by Lockheed Martin.

The radars are expected to be fully operational within three and a half years of the contracts being awarded.

Until replacements are delivered, the government will continue to maintain and employ the existing ,. Repair and overhaul services have been put in place for the existing TPS-70 to cover the period up to and including the implementation of the new radars.

AN/TPS-70 is a mobile S band phased array 3D radar produced by Westinghouse (Northrop Grumman). It can track 500 targets, displaying target range, height, azimuth, Identification Friend/Foe (IFF) information from an altitude of 0 to 100,000 feet to a maximum range of 240 nautical miles. It is the successor of AN/TPS-43. The TPS-70 tactical radar provides reliability, sensitivity, and accuracy, even in the face of jamming and high-clutter conditions.