Article Posted on : - Sep 19, 2011

Giraffe AMB Counter-Rocket Artillery and Mortar system (C-RAM). Photo: SAAB.

LONDON (BNS): Saab’s multi-mission radar Giraffe AMB is in operational service with the Australian Army.

Giraffe AMB provides early detection of attacks from insurgent rockets, artillery and mortars. It is a flexible series of modular surveillance systems with capabilities for simultaneous air defence, air and sea surveillance, air/land integration, military air traffic control and rocket, artillery and mortar alert.

As the vital part of the Australian Defence Force’s Counter-Rocket Artillery and Mortar system (C-RAM) the Giraffe AMB has continued to prove its force protection capabilities, a SAAB release said.

According to Australian Minister for Defence Materiel, Hon Jason Clare, the radar has been operating at Tarin Kot since December and has already been activated 10 times, providing an early warning against rocket and mortar attacks. A later incident was a night attack when three rockets were fired at the Tarin Kot base on 19 July.

The Giraffe is in current production and in use with the armed forces of Sweden, France, Estonia and the UK amongst others.