The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a contract to Swedish defense firm Saab for 11 Giraffe 1X 3D air surveillance radars.
All the lightweight radars will be deployed in operational environments except for one mounted on the Royal Navy’s XV Patrick Blackett experimental ship, the company said.
The Giraffe 1X will reportedly provide the UK military with simultaneous air and surface surveillance, drone detection, and artillery warning.
It also provides air defense targeting data to commanders.
“These orders are an excellent example of how our fast-deployed, software-defined systems continue to support our UK customer, and further strengthens our close partnership with the UK MoD,” Saab President Dean Rosenfield said.
The contract’s total value is 264 million Swedish krona ($25.6 million).
‘Fastest, Most Effective Solution’
Saab’s Giraffe 1X 3D multi-mission radar is designed to protect armed forces, secure freedom of maneuver, and support air superiority.
It can be deployed as part of any country’s short-range surveillance and ground-based air defense.
The radar has low power consumption, making it ideal for integration into any mobile platform or fixed structure.
According to Saab, the Giraffe 1X is the “fastest” and “most effective solution” available for the UK MoD because of its proven counter-drone capability.
The country will have no difficulty absorbing the system since it already has a central base for Saab radars, such as the ARTHUR counter-battery radar system and the land-based Giraffe AMB radar.