Exelis has been awarded a contract valued at more than $17 million to
provide electronic support measures (ESM) technology and services to
Sweden through a subcontract with shipbuilder Saab, in Sweden. Under
the contract, Exelis will provide Swedish submarines with the latest
model of the sophisticated ES-3701 electronic warfare (EW) system, offering
a significant capability boost in the areas of situational awareness,
targeting, self-protection and surveillance.
In March 2013, Kockums (now part of Saab) received an order for an overhaul
for two of the Gotland-class submarines. The overhaul is expected to
be completed by 2017. With these upgrades, the submarines will be able
to remain in active duty until after 2025. On 2 April 2014, the Swedish
defence minister announced that all three submarines are to be overhauled.
|
“The
ES-3701 is the ideal ESM system for submarines and surface ships and
is widely deployed with allies around the world. Our ESM technology
will equip Sweden to handle a range of emerging threats they face, now
and in the future,” said Dave Prater, vice president and general
manager of the Exelis radar and reconnaissance systems business. “Our
understanding of the threat landscape and our experience has helped
make Exelis a leading provider of maritime EW systems that support our
customers’ critical missions around the world.”
The ES-3701 uses a circular array interferometer antenna. This provides
precise direction finding over a 360-degree azimuth and at high elevation
while maintaining a 100 percent probability of interception.
Through digital technology and modern signal processing, the system
intercepts, measures and identifies complex signals, (including Frequency
Modulated Continuous Wave) in dense radio frequency environments even
in the presence of interfering signals.
The ES-3701 is part of a suite of other Exelis EW technologies designed
to enable domestic and international customers to perform their critical
missions. Leveraging its decades of innovation and experience in the
electromagnetic spectrum, Exelis has identified EW as one of the company’s
four strategic growth platforms. |
