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| Thales Searchmaster radar system. Photo: Thales |
[Avionics Today 10-29-2014] Thales’ new Searchmaster radar system promises to be a multirole surveillance radar with the ability to meet all the surveillance requirements of five mission types: anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance, ground surveillance and tactical air support.
The Searchmaster radar features an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) antenna based on technologies developed for the RBE2 AESA nose-mounted radar on the Rafale combat aircraft. The product allows for extended range and electronic scanning in the vertical plane for simultaneous short-range and long-range surveillance, as well as continuous detection in harsh environmental conditions.
The radar meets the requirements of airborne surface, ground and air surveillance missions. Weighing in at approximately 75 kg, Thales claims it is easy to install and integrate with a system. It is suitable for Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), medium-tonnage or heavy-lift mission helicopters and turboprop or jet-engined mission aircraft.