ThalesRaytheonSystems awarded contracts for Firefinder weapon locating and Sentinel air defense radar systems

Wednesday June 18, 2008

EUROSATORY, Paris, (June 18, 2008) – ThalesRaytheonSystems has been awarded multiple contracts totaling $145 million for its Firefinder weapon locating and Sentinel air defense battlefield radar systems.

The U.S. Army’s Communications and Electronics Command and Aviation Missile Command awarded the battlefield radar upgrade contracts. Upgrades will be made to the medium-range AN/TPQ-36 and long-range AN/TPQ-37 Firefinder systems, sustainment Firefinder spare parts and support, AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar systems, and Sentinel logistics sustainment and support.

In addition, the U.S. Marine Corps has awarded a contract to TRS for 16 additional AN/TPQ-46 Firefinder radars

The AN/TPQ-46 radar set is the U.S. Marine Corps version of the U.S. Army AN/TPQ-36 radar set, of which more than 250 radars are deployed in 15 different countries. The additional systems will join their inventory as the Marine Corps increases force structure. Highly compact and mobile, AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radar accurately, rapidly and automatically locates short and medium-range enemy mortars, artillery and rocket launchers.

With more than 100 systems deployed world-wide by the U.S. Army and 11 international customers the AN/TPQ-37 locates positions of hostile artillery, rockets and mortars so friendly forces can return fire, in many cases before the first round hits the ground. This combat-proven radar can pinpoint large numbers of enemy weapons and quickly relays precise location information for counterfire.

Contracts for the AN/TPQ-36 and AN/TPQ-37 Firefinder systems include upgrades to the next generation radar signal processors that interface with the U.S. Army's Firefinder Operation Control Group MILTOPE operator display system computer. Upgrades also include a Reliability Maintainability Improvement upgrade to the radar's transmitter and RMI-related improvements to the TPQ-37 Operations Control Group.

ThalesRaytheonSystems will continue to upgrade the U.S. Army's AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar systems to the latest configuration utilizing a new multi-power amplifier transmitter and improved receiver exciter, substantially improving performance and reliability.

Also awarded was the Sentinel Life Cycle Contractor Support contract. This multi-year option contract provides the U.S. Army with worldwide logistics, technical and maintenance support to more than 100 deployed radars. This includes the support of Army forces engaged in the Global War on Terror and for U.S. Homeland Defense.

More than 200 AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radars have been deployed by the U.S. Army and international users, and the radars have proven to be one of the most effective affordable and technically advanced medium-range radars in the world today. Its primary mission is protecting maneuver forces and critical assets from cruise missile, unmanned aerial vehicles and rotary and fixed wing threats. Accurate, quick-reacting and able to acquire targets far enough forward of friendly units, Sentinel allows air defense weapons systems to engage hostile targets at optimum ranges.

Sentinel is the premier air surveillance and target acquisition/tracking sensor for the U.S. Army’s Cruise Missile Defense Systems program. This air defense battlefield radar is also the designated radar for the U.S. Army’s Surfaced Launched Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile System, and the baseline search radar for Raytheon's HAWK guided missile system upgrades.

ThalesRaytheonSystems will be present at Eurosatory 2008, at the Thales pavilion and chalet (A270) and the Raytheon pavilion (J120C).

About ThalesRaytheonSystems
ThalesRaytheonSystems is an international company specializing in air defense systems and a global leader of air operation command and control systems, 3D air defense radars, battlefield and counter-battery radars. The company’s annual revenue is $800 million, and it employs 1,600 people. ThalesRaytheonSystems is equally owned by Raytheon and Thales.

Note to editor:
Contracts have already been announced by the Department of Defense.

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