Defence and security company Saab Sensis has successfully completed site acceptance testing (SAT) of a hardware modernisation programme of four Hughes Air Defense Radars (HADR) for the German Air Force (Luftwaffe). Saab Sensis deployed a new commercials offthe-shelf (COTS) receiver/exciter, radar signal processor, radar data processor and display function in one cabinet to extend the service life, improve detection and tracking of today’s air threats and reduce maintenance costs.

The HADR is a ground-based air surveillance defence radar that was first deployed in Germany over 30 years ago. Today, obsolete components make maintenance costly, difficult and time-consuming while the technology and computer algorithms lack the capability to accurately detect and track contemporary targets. The Luftwaffe chose to modernise and upgrade the radars to extend the service life, reduce and simplify maintenance and improve detection performance as a less costly, lower risk alternative to fielding new radars.

“The Saab Sensis COTS radar modernisation approach is a proven, effective means of extending the service life of existing air surveillance radars in a lower risk, lower cost manner than fielding a new radar,” said Erik Smith, General Manager of Defense Products and Programs at Saab Sensis. “The result is an improved radar that is ready to detect today’s airborne threats without the need to retrain radar operators.”