By ELIZABETH KNIGHTEN, Neighborsgo
ROSE BACA/neighborsgo staff photographer
Mark Acevedo, director of general services for the town of Addison, stands next to the town's recently installed Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere radar unit. The unit scans the low levels of the atmosphere for severe weather, a view of developing storms that the long-range NEXRAD radar units can't provide.
The shipment of military radar equipment is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.4 percent over the next eight years, for a market value of $16 billion in 2022, according to new reports.
The emergence of new platforms, retrofitting existing platforms with new technologies as well as general maintenance of systems across land, air and naval domains will lead to an increase in military radar spending, according to new reports.
Despite budgetary constraints, the North American region, led by the US, will drive the bulk of expenditure accounting for over 48 percent of global military radar spend.
Asia-Pacific military radar spending will be driven by internal capability development as well as acquisition of platforms and radar systems to maintain competencies against both regional and international challenges.
"Military radar systems shipments will exceed 900 units by 2022 across land, airborne and ship-based systems," notes Eric Higham, North American Director for ADS, which has released several reports on military radars. "Demand from airborne platforms will dominate overall unit demand reflecting the overall trends of system demand from emerging platforms such as the F-35, as well as upgrading existing platforms with new radar capabilities."
"The associated market for electronic components will grow at a CAGR [compound annual growth rate] of over 13 percent, with the move towards active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar in particular underpinning next generation capabilities," predicts Asif Anwar, Director at Strategy Analytics. "This will continue the drive towards radar systems underpinned by semiconductor technologies such as gallium nitride (GaN) though tube-based solutions will continue to support legacy systems, as well as being used in those cases where the capabilities offered by AESA-based systems are either not required or prove too costly for the required mission."
According to a report released last year, the military radar systems market was worth $8.57 billion in 2013. The report released last year cautioned that the global military radar systems market was in a state of flux, primarily as a result of sweeping defence budget cuts in many established markets which have impacted heavily on procurement.
“While counteracting forces of spending increases in emerging markets and new technologies are undoubtedly present, they represent only a limited effect on the military radar systems market as a whole,” according to the Visiongain report entitled “Global Military Radar Systems Market 2013-2023.”
“The security picture over the next decade (involving increased access to ballistic missile technologies and increased tensions in East Asia and the Middle East) will continue to provide a pressing need for procurement and upgraded radar technology, although these demands will continue to be counterbalanced by economic reality,” the report said.
EADS Group, Israeli Aerospace Industries, Northrop Grumman Corporation, ThalesRaytheonSystems and Lockheed Martin Corporation are among the prominent participants in the global military radar systems arena.
The Visiongain author of the military radar systems report said that: “core markets [are] now the preserve of a dominant few players, while smaller and newer vendors seek to compete in the margins and in emerging areas. While defence cutbacks in many developed markets are ongoing, the combined effects of spending in developing markets and the increased proliferation of advanced weapons systems is expected to drive the market in the years to come. There will be restrictions on spending in certain areas, while others will avoid projected budget cuts entirely; the trick for investors and businesses will be in foreknowledge of these areas and active efforts to seize the opportunities which are present, both now and in the future.”
With an output power above 10dBm, the transmitter front-end paves the way towards full radar-on-chip solutions for automotive and smart environment applications.
Imec’s continuous wave radar transmitter operates in the 79 GHz band. Implemented in 28nm CMOS, with a supply voltage of 0.9V, it only consumes 121mW and is fully compliant with the spectral mask imposed by ETSI. Phase modulation guarantees high resilience against interference and enables code-domain multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) radar.
These results were presented at last week’s ISSCC2014 (San Francisco): A 79GHz phase-modulated 4GHz-BW CW Radar TX in 28nm CMOS. Giannini et al.
Imec welcomes industrial and academic partners for joint R&D. After developing receiver functionality (by end 2014), imec aims at building a complete multi-antenna lab prototype by the end of 2015. Afterwards, integration of ADCs and digital logic will lead to a full SoC.
Imec performs world-leading research in nanoelectronics. Imec leverages its scientific knowledge with the innovative power of its global partnerships in ICT, healthcare and energy. Imec delivers industry-relevant technology solutions. In a unique high-tech environment, its international top talent is committed to providing the building blocks for a better life in a sustainable society. Imec is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and has offices in Belgium, the Netherlands, Taiwan, US, China, India and Japan. Its staff of over 2,080 people includes more than 670 industrial residents and guest researchers. In 2012, imec's revenue (P&L) totaled 320 million euro.
Imec is a registered trademark for the activities of IMEC International (a legal entity set up under Belgian law as a "stichting van openbaar nut”), imec Belgium (IMEC vzw supported by the Flemish Government), imec the Netherlands (Stichting IMEC Nederland, part of Holst Centre which is supported by the Dutch Government), imec Taiwan (IMEC Taiwan Co.) and imec China (IMEC Microelectronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.) and imec India (Imec India Private Limited).
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is at an advanced stage of integration and ground testing for the ELM-2022ES Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar – the latest addition to its best selling ELM-2022 Maritime Patrol Radar (MPR) family.
The ELM-2022ES AESA MPR, developed by IAI’s subsidiary and group, ELTA Systems Ltd, implements the proven operating modes of the ELM-2022 family, together with additional modes derived from the unique capabilities of AESA technology. The radar system combines mechanical scanning in the horizontal plane with fine beam shifting, and full electronic scanning in the vertical plane, providing improved detection, particularly at high sea states, and enabling efficient use of the radar in air/air and air/surface modes.
Using state-of-the-art signal processors, based on the latest powerful multi-core components, allows implementation of new algorithms that take maximum advantage of the AESA technology. A significant improvement in target detection performance is in imaging modes such as Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) and in Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI) modes.
“As pioneers in the field of airborne AESA radars this was a natural evolution for us,” said Mr. Joseph Weiss, IAI’s CEO & President. “The new radar is far more advanced than any other radar in its category, and we have been waiting for the right time when this technology would become cost-effective for our customers.”
The system is undergoing qualification tests for airborne applications, preparing it for delivery by mid-2015 and is fully compatible with current radar installations.
IAI press release
Uses Predictive Overflight™ to identify significant turbulence threats above rapidly growing thunderstorms
First radar in industry to feature two levels of turbulence detection
American Airlines to take first delivery on new Next-Generation Boeing 737
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Feb. 4. 2014) – Rockwell Collins today unveiled its new MultiScan ThreatTrack™ weather radar, which provides unprecedented atmospheric threat assessment capabilities for air transport aircraft. The company will be showcasing the new system at next week’s Singapore Airshow.
MultiScan ThreatTrack builds upon Rockwell Collins’ market-leading MultiScan weather radar to deliver additional features and to further increase safety and efficiency. For example, the system’s advanced capabilities go beyond hail and lightning prediction within a thunderstorm cell and alerts pilots to these significant threats adjacent to the cell. If these thunderstorms are growing ahead and below the aircraft, ThreatTrack’s Predictive Overflight™ protection warns the flight crew if the cells will be in the aircraft’s flight path.
In addition, MultiScan ThreatTrack is the first in the industry to feature two levels of turbulence detection — severe and ride-quality—which more accurately informs flight crews of the type of turbulence in their path.
American Airlines is debuting the new radar, which was developed with extensive meteorological research and rigorous flight testing around the world, on its new Next-Generation Boeing 737 fleet.
“Working with American and Boeing, we certified a more comprehensive radar system that improves flight operations efficiency by helping pilots better navigate disruptive weather threats,” said Steve Timm, vice president and general manager, Air Transport Systems for Rockwell Collins. “With MultiScan ThreatTrack, passenger satisfaction will increase with smoother flights and more on-time arrivals.”
“American Airlines is pleased to collaborate with Rockwell Collins on the successful certification and entry into service of MultiScan ThreatTrack,” said Capt. Brian Will, director of Airspace Modernization and Advanced Technologies at American Airlines. “The system’s capabilities, including its advanced environmental threat detection logic, will help American continue to provide the safest and most efficient operation possible.”
In a research project sponsored by the NASA Weather Accident Prevention Project, data examined over the past two decades indicates that turbulence resulting in minor or major injury has cost airlines anywhere from $28,000 to $167,000 per incident. With an average of 750 turbulence encounters per year, the resulting cost to the industry can be $30 to $60 million per year. Lightning and hail damage to aircraft can increase the related costs exponentially.
MultiScan ThreatTrack weather radar is the first fully certified airborne weather radar with the following capabilities for new Next-Generation Boeing 737s:
Patented Track-While-Scan Technology prioritizes weather threats out to 320 nm by performing dedicated horizontal and vertical scans on developed or fast-growing convective cells that pose an actual threat.
Core Threat Assessment examines thunderstorm cells and increases the displayed colors to better represent the actual thunderstorm threat.
Associated Threat Assessment infers lightning, hail and convective threat potential within and external to a thunderstorm core.
Predictive OverFlight™ Protection tracks thunderstorm cells ahead and below the aircraft, measures growth rate, predicts bow-wave turbulence and indicates potential threats in aircraft’s flight path.
Two-level Enhanced Turbulence Detection detects severe and ride-quality turbulence up to 40 nm ahead of the aircraft.
Predictive Windshear Detection with windshear event data recording and retrieval.
Geographic Weather Correlation utilizes a database of geographic and seasonal weather variations that enhance MultiScan ThreatTrack’s algorithms to provide accurate worldwide hazard information.
MultiScan ThreatTrack is expected to be certified for Boeing 777 aircraft next month.
Rockwell Collins press release – Source
The trial, executed on 21 November 2013, consisted of four Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM) being directed by APAR to four targets. The trial was successful: all launched missiles performed a successful intercept. In the first part of the trial, a Banshee drone was eliminated by a missile launched by the new Royal Danish Navy Frigate HDMS Peter Willemoes (Iver Huitfeldt-class).
The new Royal Danish Navy Frigate HDMS Peter Willemoes (Iver Huitfeldt-class)
Picture: Berg2
With pinpoint accuracy APAR guided the missile to the target, resulting in a successful threat elimination. Subsequently, three Banshee drones were launched simultaneously, necessitating the launch and guidance of three missiles. Thanks to APAR’s unique Interrupted Continuous Wave Illumination technology, enabling the simultaneous guidance of multiple missiles to various targets; this part of the trial was also successful.
The trials were performed at the Missile Test Range off the Scottish coast in the Atlantic Ocean. HDMS Peter Willemoes was escorted by HDMS Niels Juel.
Gerben Edelijn, Thales Nederland’s CEO says: “This excellent result proves that Thales’ APAR and the unique technology are the standard in missile guidance.”
HDMS Peter Willemoes is one of the three Iver Huitfeldt class air defence frigates of the Royal Danish Navy. The other two ships are HDMS Iver Huitfeldt and HDMS Niels Juel. These ships share their Anti-Warfare suite with the Royal Netherlands Navy’s De Zeven Provincien-class frigates and the German Navy’s Sachsen-class frigates. The Thales sensors of this suite include the long range surveillance radar SMART-L and the multi-function radar APAR.
Video: Royal Danish Navy
