GDC4S awarded US Army radar development contract
General Dynamics C4 Systems will develop a new High/Medium Power Close-in Radar system for the US Army’s Range Radar Replacement Program (RRRP) under a new contract modification announced on 2 May. The $16 million modification will fund the engineering, development and initial manufacture of the new radar system.
The RRRP will see a number of aging and outdated radar system fleets currently operating at US Army test ranges replaced with newer, more advanced systems. The General Dynamics-led team was awarded the contract to develop and deploy modernised range instrumentation radars for the programme in July 2012. The programme has a total potential value of $385 million over ten years if all options are exercised.
This latest contract modification will see General Dynamics develop a mobile Close-in radar system that will provide unprecedented fidelity when tracking munitions and other targets at a range of 37 miles or more.
The Close-in radar system joins the Fly-out radar system, which was the first range instrumentation radar system ordered using the RRRP contract. The Close-in radar system will acquire information about the launch and early stages of flight for munitions and other low-flying objects. The Fly-out radar system, which has just completed the requirements phase of development, is capable of tracking up to 40 test objects over a range of 60 miles. The new mobile radar systems eliminate the cost and downtime associated with maintaining and moving decades-old, antiquated radar systems that are currently in place at army test ranges.
Chris Marzilli, president of General Dynamics C4 Systems, said: ‘The Close-in radar system is the second in a new generation of range instrumentation radars that deliver cost-effective, digital technologies and systems needed to meet the army's goal of modernizing test ranges in Alabama, Arizona, New Mexico and Maryland.’
The General Dynamics RRRP solution leverages XSTAR family of instrumentation radar developed by STAR Dynamics.
More from Land Warfare
-
![Norway orders improved NASAMS technology as more countries sign up]()
Norway orders improved NASAMS technology as more countries sign up
The country’s air defence batteries will be equipped with new command posts, wheeled communication nodes and radios. The system itself is in service with more than 14 countries with 13 systems in Ukraine.
-
![Ukraine’s ground robot army still finding its feet]()
Ukraine’s ground robot army still finding its feet
Ukraine’s quest to replace soldiers with robots is hitting technical snags. Shephard spoke with industry leaders about difficulties in the field and what solutions are in the pipeline.
-
![DOK-ING presents CUAS MV-8 armed with Valhalla Mangart 25 turret]()
DOK-ING presents CUAS MV-8 armed with Valhalla Mangart 25 turret
The partnership between Croatia’s DOK-ING and Slovenia’s Valhalla Turrets reflects an effort to combine ground robots and with improved capabilities and new roles and follows Rheinmetall presenting its Ox with Dispatch charging docks from Valinor.
-
![British Army vehicle programme may be shifting gears again]()
British Army vehicle programme may be shifting gears again
The UK’s effort to replace thousands of vehicles across a dozen base vehicle types has had a troubled history and statements from the UK’s Defence Minster Luke Pollard indicate change may be on the way.
-
![EOS improving Slinger CUAS role as industry pushes forward]()
EOS improving Slinger CUAS role as industry pushes forward
EOS Defence Systems officially launched its Slinger anti-drone system in 2023. The system features a remote weapon station, visual sensors and a Northrop Grumman 30mm cannon with specially designed ammunition, combined with EOS’s stabilisation and pointing technology.
