HARLOW, England, Oct. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- At a short ceremony at Automotive
Technik's Guildford facility on the 27th September, Raytheon Systems Limited's
(RSL) Ground Segment IPT Lead, Mark Tennison, took delivery of the first
ground station vehicle for the UK's Airborne Stand Off Radar (ASTOR)
programme.
The 6 x 6 improved mobility Pinzgauer 718K vehicle will act in the support
role in one of the six ASTOR Tactical Ground Station (TGS) units.
Manufactured by Automotive Technik of the UK, a total of 20 Pinzgauers are to
be provided for the ground element of the programme. Six of the vehicles will
be of the 718K type and the remaining 14 will be "bearer" T types, which will
be fitted with shelter units by Marshall SV. These latter vehicles will be
used to house the work stations and communications equipment. Each TGS unit
will consist of a mix of three or four vehicles.
The first "K" vehicle will now be shipped to Aish Technologies' Poole UK
facility where the necessary racking and stowage will be installed. The
vehicle will then be moved to RSL's Broughton facility in North Wales where
final systems integration will be undertaken.
Alun Fishburne, RSL's ASTOR Programme Director, who attended the ceremony,
said: "The delivery of this first TGS vehicle is another significant step in
the programme. Along with the first aircraft, now being modified and equipped
in Greenville in Texas, and the construction of the ASTOR base at RAF
Waddington, this vehicle is further visible evidence of progress of the
programme."
Raytheon Systems Limited, the UK-based subsidiary of Raytheon Company,
employs over 1900 people throughout the country. The company is a major
supplier to the UK Ministry of Defence and as well as ASTOR, has won other
programmes such as SIFF
(Successor Identification Friend or Foe). RSL is also involved in bids
for programmes such as the Royal Navy's Future Carrier (CVF), the British
Army's Light Forces Anti-Tank Guided Weapon and the RAF's Precision Guided
Bomb. RSL additionally designs, develops and manufactures ATC radar,
identification systems and anti-jam navigation systems. It has a software
engineering facility and is a specialist supplier of semiconductors and power
modules, manufacturing complex electronic systems, sub-systems and assemblies.
The company also undertakes aircraft servicing and modification.
With headquarters in Lexington, Massachusetts, Raytheon Company is a
global technology leader in defence, government, and commercial electronics,
and business and special mission aircraft.
Notes for editors:
1) Photographs of the Pinzgauer 718K are available for download and
publication from:
http://www.raytheon.co.uk/what_we_do/c4istar/astor/astornewspix.htm?menu=c4istar
2) Raytheon Systems Limited is the prime contractor for ASTOR, the UK
Ministry of Defence's new, long range, ground surveillance programme.
ASTOR will draw on Raytheon's leading expertise in this area of
technology and will provide the British Armed Forces with the most
advanced system of its type in the world.
Key elements of ASTOR include:
-- Sophisticated dual mode imaging and moving target indicator radar
(Synthetic Aperture Radar/Moving Target Indication (SAR/MTI)),
installed on five, specially converted, Global Express(TM) aircraft.
In times of crisis the radar can identify friendly and hostile forces -
their number, quantity, direction and speed. In peacetime ASTOR has an
important role to play in the monitoring and managing of relief and
help during natural or man-made disasters, and in controlling smuggling
and other border violations, etc.
-- The radar can operate in either high resolution spot or wide-area swath
modes. The processing equipment develops the data into visual images
which can be exploited by the airborne mission crew. By operating at
altitudes of up to 50,000 ft, ASTOR will have superior "look-down"
capability and the ability to stand-off at long range. The aircraft's
11 hour unrefuelled flight duration capability also gives the system
considerable operational flexibility.
-- The information is transferred in near real time from the aircraft, via
data links, to ASTOR Ground Stations which are equipped with similar
image exploitation equipment. Two types of ground station are utilised
for ASTOR - mobile Tactical Ground Stations and transportable
Operational Level Ground Stations.
-- Data can be transmitted to other areas via SATCOM and ground networks.
ASTOR will be interoperable with allies' systems including US and NATO.
Where required, the airborne segment can operate independently of the
Ground Stations, disseminating data via its communications systems.
ASTOR is due to enter service in 2005 with delivery of the full system
completed by 2007.
Contact:
Mike Brown
+44 (0)207 569 5517
mike.brown@raytheon.co.uk
SOURCE Raytheon
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Related links:
http://www.raytheon.com
CONTACT:
Mike Brown of Raytheon, +44 (0)207 569 5517,
mike.brown@raytheon.co.uk
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