Cassidian unveils new ground surveillance radar

Cassidian, the defence and security division of EADS, has unveiled its newest radar for battlefield surveillance in a statement released by the company on 28 October.

The system, which Cassidian believes is the world’s most powerful ground surveillance radar, was developed for the German Armed Forces and is designated Bodenüberwachungsradar (BÜR).

According to the company, the radar can track movements on the ground, in the air close to the ground and over water, with previously unattainable precision, speed and reliability.

Based on Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology, and with delay-free electronic beam scanning, the radar can perform multiple reconnaissance tasks at the same time, achieving a high level of efficiency and reliability in comparison to mechanically scanned radars. Each BÜR system can therefore assume the tasks of several conventional radars.

The system will be for mobile use on the DINGO 2 armoured vehicle manufactured by the Munich-based company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. Operation of the system and the radar is effected from the protected interior of the vehicle, without the crew having to leave the vehicle.

Cassidian understands that after being accepted by the German Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement (BWB) and supplementary testing by the army, the ground surveillance radar development project was successfully completed with the delivery of two system demonstrators and a set of mobile workshop equipment; and that ‘this proves the feasibility of the system and shows that the precondition for the planned procurement of 48 production BÜR systems are met’.