(^08) | AsiAn MilitAry review |
Base Mode) allows it to provide ground-based air surveillance
radar coverage for additional ballistic missile defence systems.
Published range figures for the radar vary considerably
according to the source. Neither the radar’s manufacturer nor
the US Department of Defence’s Missile Defence Agency which
has procured the radar to enhance US ballistic missile defence
efforts publish the AN/TPY-2’s range.
Tactical Radio
AMR has learnt that Sweden will begin to receive new Elbit
Systems tactical radios for its army in 2017. Confidential sources
have revealed that up to 2500 of the firm’s MCTR-7200 vehicular
radios are to be delivered to the country. These multiband
transceivers transmit across wavebands of 30 Megahertz (MHz) to
512MHz and 225MHz to 512MHz. The radio carries both the firm’s
Narrow-Band Waveform (NBWF) and Wide-Band Waveform
(WBWF). These waveforms have channel spacings of 25 kilohertz
(KHz), 12.5KHz and 6.25KHz for the NBWF and one megahertz
for the WBWF. Data rates carried by both waveforms are in the
region of 115.2 kilobits-per-second (kbps) for the NBWF when
using a 25KHz channel, and up to 500kbps when using a single
channel with the WBWF. Communications security in the form
of AES-256 standard encryption is accommodated in the radios,
alongside proprietary encryption. The radios can perform mobile
ad hoc networking, while also accommodating up to 16 nodes
on a network when using the NBWF and up to 60 nodes when
employing the WBWF. Deliveries of the MCTR-7200 vehicular
radios to the Swedish Army are expected to conclude in 2021.
The sources continued that the MCTR-7200 is expected
to eventually replace the Rockwell Collins RA-460 radios
currently used by the force. The RA-460 is reportedly based
on the multiband (two megahertz to two gigahertz) FlexNet-
Four tactical radio produced by the firm. This radio is equipped
with the FlexNet Waveform, which Rockwell Collins states is a
high data rate ad hoc networking waveform, plus the ability to
support the Thales PR4G and FastNet waveforms, and to offer
data rates of between 64kbps and five megabits-per-second.
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration’s (FMW) 2013
Tactical Ground Radio System Request for Information provides
some indications of the modernisation path and concept of
operations for the MCTR-7200. It envisages that the radio will
support communications within a battalion with a narrowband
waveform being used for communications between squads,
and a wideband waveform being utilised for communications
between armoured vehicles, and between those vehicles and
squads. Although primarily envisaged for ground-to-ground
communications, the document continues that the radio will
be capable of supporting communications with helicopters and
across satellites.
It is noteworthy that waveforms used by the RA-460, the
document states, will be ported into the new radio. Furthermore,
the document stated an expectation that the new radio will
accommodate the ESSOR/COALWNW waveforms from circa
- Commencing in 2010, the ESSOR programme is managed
by OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en Matière
d’Armement/Joint Armament Control Organisation); a European
intergovernmental organisation which manages collaborative
defence programmes involving Belgium, France, Germany, Italy,
Spain and the United Kingdom. The initiative aims to develop
a high data rate wideband networking waveform for software
defined radios which can be made available to the participating
nations of Finland, France, Italy, Poland, Spain and Sweden. This
intends to improve interoperability by providing a waveform
which can be used across the tactical radios of these participating
nations, and other third parties in the future. A similar effort to
ESSOR is being realised by Australia, Finland, France, Germany,
Italy, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States
in the form of the Coalition Wideband Networking Waveform
(COALWNW). This initiative is developing wideband
waveforms which can be used by these nations to provide air
and ground communications so as to enhance interoperability
amongst these countries.
Meanwhile, Elbit Systems is celebrating the decision of the
Israeli Defence Force (IDF) to invest circa $100 million, according
to the company, in new tactical radios procured from the firm.
The PNR-1000 is one of several radios in Elbit’s E-Lynx family. Recent orders of E-Lynx
family members have followed to the Swedish and Israeli armed forces.Elbit