Canada lines up over-the-horizon radar purchase from Australia
JORN, a network of three over-the-horizon radar sites, is a strategic and early-warning asset for Australia. (Photo: ADF)
Ottawa is planning to procure a version of Australia’s Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN), which gives an over-the-horizon radar (OTHR) capability reaching approximately 3,000km for detection of air and sea targets.
Mark Carney, Canada’s new prime minister, last month announced that his country intended to partner with Australia to develop OTHR technology. BAE Systems, which maintains and improves JORN, spoke to Shephard about the system’s potential.
The Prime Minister’s Office stated: “This partnership will include developing Canada’s Arctic OTHR (A-OTHR) system, an investment of more than C$6 billion [US$4.3 billion] that will provide early-warning radar coverage from threats to the Arctic.”
JORN, managed by BAE Systems Australia since 2018, detects and tracks air and maritime targets using high-frequency (HF) radio signals that bounce off the ionosphere. Australia has three radar
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