Lockheed Martin, CMI complete radar review

Lockheed Martin has announced that along with its industry partner, PT CMI Teknologi (CMI), it has completed a production readiness review that qualifies CMI to begin in-country manufacturing for the TPS-77 and FPS-117 long-range surveillance radars.

The two companies are jointly pursuing the National Airspace Surveillance – Republic of Indonesia (NASRI) programme, with the intent to produce more than 20 new radars to improve airspace surveillance, safety, and management over the Indonesian Archipelago in support of the government’s defense revitalisation initiative.

According to Lockheed Martin, the production readiness review is the latest step in supporting the Indonesian government’s efforts to greatly enhance air sovereignty and surveillance over the country’s more than 17,000 islands, and to expand Indonesia’s industrial capabilities. Data feeds from the new network will also enhance civilian air traffic control, including commercial air traffic management, which is currently handled by radars in nearby Singapore.

James Gribbon, Asia Pacific regional president for Lockheed Martin, said: ‘The success of the production readiness review shows that CMI’s workforce is ready to begin the assembly of radar row receivers, which is a major step in the qualification process. These are key assemblies in the solid-state design and L-band operation of these high-performing radars that are already operating in 25 countries around the world.’

Lockheed Martin signed a teaming agreement with CMI earlier this year and in August issued a subcontract to CMI to begin the qualification process in building radar row receivers.