French air force’s medium-range, new generation surface-to-air system (shortly named as Thales radar) (SAMP/T NG), entered the production line at Thales Limour’s site in Essonne. It is the first ground-fire radar by French Airforce. According to Thales.
Thales Group is a French multinational company, a global technology leader that provides its services in aeronautics, space, digital identity, and security and defense markets.
“This fully digital multi-function radar, equipped with anti-air and anti-missile capabilities, is capable of countering a wide range of threats including ballistic missiles”.
Report by Thales
The main advantage of Thales radar is that it can be deployed within 15 minutes. Thales makes it highly mobile, tactical, and air transportable. It delivers matchless performance and mobility with 360 degrees coverage in azimuth and up to 90 degrees coverage in elevation. The radar has a range of up to 400km. Thales said in a report.
French next generation Thales radar is designed to simultaneously detect and trace a wide range of drone swarms, stealth targets and to prevent coordinated saturation attacks. The Ground Fire has an air defense missile guidance capability to intercept highly maneuvering and ballistic targets. For multi-mission purposes, the radar can be used in various domains i.e from air defenses to air surveillance, counter-battery, and trajectography.
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French procurement agency (responsible for the development and purchase of weapon systems for the French military) ordered it in 2019. Thales radar draws on years of engineering and manufacturing development for the sea fire. The naval version of the Thales radar selected to equip the defense and Intervention Frigates of the French Navy. The Ground Fire radar benefits from Thales’ technological advances in A.I and cybersecurity, which enables the radar to respond accurately and perfectly in the fast-evolving needs and threats faced by armed forces. Thales said in a report.
Integrated by Thales at the Limours (in Essonne) and Ymare (in Seine-Maritime) sites, the electronic and mechanical sub-assemblies are developed and produced in partnership with French SMEs such as Sermati and UMS.
Sources:
- The French company, Thales Official Website
- Article published in Defense World