Thales’ Ground Fire radar meets growing European demand for airspace protection
The Ground Fire radar’s design allows for high mobility with reduced encamp/decamp times and compact dimensions. (Photo: Thales)
The new radar will be used to enhance the French-Italian SAMP/T NG system with a greater surveillance range and wider coverage to detect, track and classify targets.
Thales has announced further details of its Ground Fire radar, confirming that it has been in full-scale production since the start of the year following the success of factory acceptance tests (FATs).
The company expects eight Ground Fire radars to be delivered to French armed forces from 2026, and has highlighted the technology’s potential use across wider Europe.
The multi-function radar technology, which is set to replace the current radar on the new Surface-to-Air Missile Platform/Terrain New Generation (SAMP/T NG) air defence platform, provides simultaneous air surveillance and fire control support, with what the company describes as a “unique” one-second refresh rate to enhance
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