The Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Bundeswehr today published the participation competition for the procurement of on the European tender platform TEDAir surveillance radars with tactical ballistic missile defense capability.
Overall, in the period October 2021 (beginning) to October 2026 (completion), the procurement and introduction (including installation on towers) of four market-available large-area radar devices to maintain the capability for the long-term mission of airspace security with the additional capability to support the defense of ballistic missiles (Tactical Ballistic Missle Defense (T-BMD) is planned in the area of sensor technology. The construction of the towers is not the subject of the tender.
According to reports, it is a replacement for the currently aging HADR air surveillance radars from Hughes Aircraft Systems (now Raytheon). Well-informed circles say that the specifications of the tendered radars are similar to those of the long-range radars for the F124 class frigates tendered in mid-2019, which were launched as part of the “Obsolescence elimination of the long-range sensor and capability expansion of the F124 in air defense“ ebenfalls eine BMD-Sensor Befähigung erhalten sollen, ähnelich sind. Dahinter stehen vermutlich Überlegungen im Hinblick auf eine weitestgehend einheitlich logistische Unterstützung.
Technical specifications of the tender:
- Delivery of four radar systems consisting of a transmitter, antenna and receiver including subsystems as well as measuring equipment and tools,
- Delivery of four radomes,
- Delivery of four antennas for the secondary radar system provided,
- Delivery of a software maintenance facility and an optional reference system,
- Integration into an existing infrastructure (tower), into the Bundeswehr's radar data network, integration into the radar control console and integration of the secondary radar system,
- Frequency range: L/S band (L band 1215-1250 MHz & 1260-1340 MHz/S band 2900-3400 MHz),
- 3D capability,
- Azimuth coverage 0o-360o with an azimuth resolution of min. 4o,
- Minimum range 220 NM with a maximum dead zone of 5 NM and a distance resolution of at least 100 m,
- Elevation angle from min. -2o to 20o with an elevation resolution of min. 4o,
- Capture targets with an RCS of 0.1m2 to at least 124 NM under ideal conditions (ICAO standard atmosphere). Acquisition of targets with an RCS of 1m2 to at least 256 NM under ideal conditions (ICAO standard atmosphere). The probability of detection must be at least 80%. The false target alarm rate must not exceed 10^-6,
- Suppression of ground, weather and sea clutter as well as active disruptors,
- Connection of at least 64 active users,
- Bidirectional data transmission in ASTERIX / AWCIES format according to NATO STANAG 5535,
- Continuous operation (24/7), with at least 21 days of uninterrupted availability, availability over a year of at least 99.3%, can be controlled and monitored locally and remotely,
- Ability to detect ballistic missiles, whereby the primary task is always airspace surveillance, switching between operating modes only according to user specifications. Mixed operation, ie detection of ballistic missiles during the main task LRÜ - Track-While-Scan- desired,
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- Minimum range 1000 km for 0.5 m2 RCS with a speed of min. up to 5 km/s,
- Elevation angle up to min. 80o,
- Probability of detection at least 90% false target alarm rate at most 10^-5,
- Target processing capacity min. 100 targets/tracks,
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- Ensuring that the radar system complies with the applicable German and European regulations in the areas of occupational safety, environmental protection, dangerous goods, information and radiation safety and radiation protection,
- Technical documentation as (I)ETD according to Spec 1 000 D (description) and Spec 2 000 M (BTK) with BESTD conformity,
- Material bases and logistical information supply for integration into SASPF, support for cataloging,
- Creation of concepts for compliance with regulations in the area of information security,
- Initial training of technical, operational and training personnel before commissioning.
Waldemar Geiger
Cover photo: HADR (radar) on the Erbeskopf. (Photo: Pardin / Creative Common)