US-based Leonardo DRS is establishing a UK subsidiary and local production site for tactical radars as it expands its support for British defense programs.
Called DRS UK, the subsidiary will operate a purpose-built production facility for the company’s systems which are designed to detect, track, and classify airborne and ground threats including drones, rockets, artillery, and mortars.
The radars are used for counter-drone, air defense, force protection, and active protection applications. Leonardo DRS said more than 10,000 of its radar panels have been deployed worldwide with the US military, NATO allies, and other international customers.
The company said the investment will create engineering and manufacturing opportunities while strengthening its supply chain in the region.
“Establishing DRS UK and launching a full local tactical radar capability, strengthens our ability to support customers and partners with the proximity, responsiveness and manufacturing capacity needed to meet evolving operational requirements,” Leonardo DRS CEO John Baylouny said.
Leonardo Builds On UK Radar Contracts
The new DRS operation comes as Leonardo expands its broader radar work for the UK military.
In January, the UK awarded Leonardo UK and BAE Systems a 453.5-million-pound ($600 million) contract to manufacture and deliver 40 production-standard European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2 active electronically scanned array radars for Royal Air Force Typhoons.
ECRS Mk2 is designed to give the Typhoon an advanced sensing and electronic warfare capability. The radar can detect, identify, and track multiple targets while also providing electronic attack capabilities for operations in contested electromagnetic environments.
For Leonardo DRS, the more direct connection is its RADA counter-UAS business. The 2018 Drone Dome selection made Britain an early customer of the company’s hemispheric radar technology, while the new subsidiary now gives DRS a domestic manufacturing base for a broader tactical radar portfolio.
