Article Posted on : - Nov 25, 2009

Air surveillance Ground-based radar: GROUND MASTER 400. Image Credit: Bourdin/Photopointcom ©THALES

DUBAI (BNS): The Indian Air Force (IAF) will receive 19 low-level transportable radar (LLTR) systems based on the Ground Smarter (GS) 100 sensor from French defence company, Thales.

The company announced that it has won the contract to supply the radar to the IAF during the Dubai air show here, a report by DefenceNews said.

Six of the 19 radars will be built at its Limours facility, southwest of Paris, while its local partner Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) will build the remaining 13 units in India, Thales said.

Each low level transportable radar system comprises the GS 100 radar, operational and communications shelters, an energy subsystem, mobility subsystem and quarters for personnel.

The GS 100, based on the SR3D radar platform, is a mobile, modular and multifunctional sensor designed to track complex target manoeuvres at very low altitudes.

The sensor can detect and track targets up to a range of 180 km. The SR3D platform is also used in the Ground Master 400 long range radar, launched into the market in 2007.

The IAF intends installing 19 low-level transportable radars at vulnerable points along the border to detect both low-flying aircraft and `spy planes' or unmanned aerial vehicles.

Media reports adds that the radars will give the Indian military the capability to spy up to 60 km into enemy airspace and are ideal for detecting intrusions over mountainous terrain. Anticipating a transfer of technology agreements, BEL had obtained an industrial licence for manufacturing LLTR.

The Thales offer of the French "Flair'' LLTR was technically qualified after stringent site evaluation of the radar and many rounds of technical negotiations with the IAF.