Farnborough 2008 Show News - July 15, 2008 - (Page 16) FA R N B O R O U G H 2 0 0 8 Radar, the All-Seeing, Emerges as Sensor for Maritime UAVs As unmanned air vehicles start to perform maritime surveillance, radar is the sensor that will be the key to success, just as it is for maritime patrol aircraft, says Joseph Battaglia, president of Telephonics Corp (Chalet B22). This is why small but powerful maritime surveillance radars for UAVs and small manned craft are emerging as a new business niche. The key value of radar, unlike the electro-optical sensors used in UAVs, is Joseph Battaglia. that it can see through cloud, smoke, fog and all sorts of weather—which is why it will be essential for UAVs used in maritime surveillance. The challenge is to engineer a powerful unit small and light enough to meet UAVs’ payload restrictions. Telephonics supplies multimode radars for naval combat helicopters, but these can weigh 300 lb. “We did not try to take a big radar and shrink it,” Battaglia says. Instead, Telephonics engineers decided to beef up the performance of a smaller radar. The firm’s RDR-1500 SAR unit for identifying small targets in severe marine environments became the basis for the new product. It’s offered as the RDR-1700B, a radar that provides a lot of capability in a 68 lb package. This includes the receiver/transmitter, the signal processor and an antenna pedestal. The imaging radar has inverse synthetic aperture, synthetic aperture for ground mapping, and automatic identification of targets. It can track 200 targets and displays operated selected track target data. Battaglia says this type of radar is only possible because of the march of progress in new technology such as more powerful computer processing in smaller packages. In addition, the RDR-1700B minimizes transmitter weight by using a solid-state device instead of a much heavier traveling wave tube. The Japanese Coast Guard is now using the RDR-1700B on a general aviation category manned aircraft. Telephonics will demonstrate it with the U.S. Navy on a Fire Scout UAV later this year. —David Hughes 16 U.S. Navy Tests Raytheon’s Standard Missile 6 Last month the U.S. Navy successfully conducted the first test of Raytheon’s Standard Missile 6 extended range anti-air warfare missile. Launched from the Navy’s Desert Ship at the White Sands Missile Range, it successfully intercepted a BQM-74 aerial drone using the newly developed SM-6 active seeker, which autonomously acquired and engaged the target using the Navy’s legacy command system, resulting in a direct hit. Standard Missile 6 is being developed by Raytheon to meet the Navy’s requirement for an extended range anti-air warfare missile, and is expected to deploy in 2011. Northrop Grumman Threat Sims for A400M Northrop Grumman (Chalet A1-5) has been selected to provide eight electronic warfare simulators for the European EADS A400M program under a $28.2 million contract. Northrop Grumman will deliver the Combat Electromagnetic Environment Simulator (CEESIM) system, a radio-frequency threat generator, to verify the A400M’s Pre-Fight, Message Support Environment (PFMSE) that supports the electronic warfare self-defense ground station of the A400M military transport aircraft. Honeywell Introduces RAAS for Airbus Honeywell announced that the availability of its Runway Awareness and Alerting Systems (RAAS) has been added to Airbus’ e-catalog as a product available for all Airbus aircraft. “RAAS enhances flight crew situational awareness on the ground, decreasing the potential for runway incursion,” said Garrett Mikita, president of Honeywell Air Transport & Regional Business. The system is a software enhancement of Honeywell’s Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS), integrating a runway database to provide pilots with audible warnings if they are taxiing onto an active runway unintentionally, approaching a wrong runway, or accelerating from a taxiway. RAAS was introduced in 2004 and has been installed on more than 200 air transport and 1,470 business jets with another 800 airline systems on order. Malaysia Orders Bombardier Amphibs Malaysia’s Maritime Enforcement Agency has placed a firm order for two Bombardier 415MP multi-purpose amphibians modified for maritime surveillance. The waterbombers will be equipped with two side-looking airborne radars, a forward-looking infrared sensor, maritime surveillance radar and other specialized avionics and communications equipment. Bombardier is at Chalet C1. Boeing’s Sure-Mate Couplings on Dreamliner Boeing has become launch customer for Eaton Corporation’s Aeroquip Sure-Mate quick disconnect couplings, on the new 787 Dreamliner program. Sure-Mate incorporates a new locking finger design to replace the aging ratchet teeth interface of many thread-together couplings. The design of the Sure-Mate coupling incorporates timed threads and locking fingers to ensure a precise and secure connection every time it is applied. Sure-Mate’s locking fingers provide visual and tactile indication that the coupling is fully engaged. When the coupling is not fully engaged, visible and tangible gaps are present between the fingers and mating slots. Additionally, the locking fingers create an audible click, signaling the user that the coupling is secure. Eaton is at Hall 3, Stand C5. Royal Succession at BAE Systems Ian King, BAE Systems’ current COO, will succeed Mike Turner as CEO on Sept. 1. King is a former Marconi executive and following the Marconi acquisition by British Aerospace, he became BAE Systems’ group strategy and planning director. King was also group managing director for customer solutions and support. July 15, 2008 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews
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