Hanwha contracted to develop radar for South Korean missile defence
Hanwha will develop the multi-function radar of the Low Altitude Missile Defense (LAMD), work which is scheduled to be completed before the end of 2028.
BAE Systems is offering thermal imaging technology to the British Army as part of its Team Challenger 2 bid to upgrade the army’s main battle tank, the company announced on 5 September.
The electro-optic technology, developed by Leonardo, would provide independent night vision for both the gunner and the commander, enabling the identification of potential threats in hostile situations and shortening reaction times.
Leonardo’s infrared camera senses heat emitted by all objects with temperatures greater than absolute zero (-273°C). The hundreds-of-thousands of individual pixels in the camera can detect temperature differences as small as one-fiftieth of a centigrade, allowing for better image quality.
Mike Gilbert, SVP optronics systems UK at Leonardo, said: ‘Our thermal cameras – designed and built in the UK – can see in total darkness as far as the horizon and the applications for this technology are endless – from helping improve our understanding of the natural world to improving the operational capabilities of the British Army’s Challenger 2 main battle tank.
‘Our infra-red technology plays a crucial role in supporting British troops in the most challenging environments and we’re pleased to be working alongside BAE Systems to offer this technology for Challenger 2, helping extend its life to 2035 and beyond.’
Hanwha will develop the multi-function radar of the Low Altitude Missile Defense (LAMD), work which is scheduled to be completed before the end of 2028.
Pulsar-L has already entered service and weighs about 12kg with range of 5km. It was only in May last year that the company disclosed that earlier versions were already in service.
The possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) from the US will cover the system and any related equipment with Lockheed Martin and RTX as primary contractors.
The new platform was designed to provide 1KW of exportable power as standard and has been developed in partnership with the US Marine Corps (USMC).
Of the six variants in the Ajax programme – reconnaissance (Ajax), reconnaissance support (Ares), C2 (Athena), equipment repair (Apollo), equipment recovery (Atlas) and engineering reconnaissance (Argus) – the Ajax reconnaissance version is now entering service.
The BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 IFV has been around for decades but continual refreshing to maintain power and relevance, along with a healthy market at home in Sweden and neighbouring countries, has led to more than 1,700 vehicle orders with 10 countries.