Ukraine has contracted Hensoldt to deliver two more air defense radars.
The IRIS-T SLM radars will be delivered in three months for a contract worth tens of millions of euros.
Four Radars Delivered
The German sensor manufacturer delivered four radars to Kyiv in 2022 as part of a 140-million-euro ($136 million) contract including support and training.
However, unlike the previous order, the new radars will not be installed in the German-delivered IRIS-T SLM systems to Ukraine, Janes reported, citing a company spokesperson.
Instead, the radars will be “connected to various legacy systems operational in Ukraine,” the outlet stated.
For ‘Small, Fast, Low-Flying’ Targets
The solid-state, C-band (4–8 GHz), Gallium Nitride Active Electronically Scanned Array radar detects, tracks, and classifies nearly 1,500 targets, particularly “small, fast, and low-flying and/or maneuvering cruise missiles and aircraft and hovering helicopters.”
The radar has a maximum range of 250 kilometers (155 miles), capable of tracking a fighter aircraft up to 120 kilometers (74.6 miles) and a supersonic missile 60 kilometers (37 miles) away.
“This contract conclusion is not least due to the excellent operational results that have been reported back from the deployment in the country, further strengthening Ukraine’s defense capability,” CEO Thomas Muller said.