Thales to reinforce Denmark’s air surveillance and defence with five GM200 radars

• The Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) signs an agreement with the Netherlands Defence procurement agency COMMIT (Commando Materieel en IT) for the acquisition of five Thales Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission Compact radars.
• Providing enhanced situational awareness, operational superiority, fire support and weapon location capabilities, the radar will support the Danish Air Force in air surveillance and air defence missions.
• As a recognized European leader in systems-of-systems integration, Thales draws on its air surveillance and air defence expertise to help nations guarantee their sovereignty.

Building on the strong international NATO cooperation, as well as strategic bi-lateral defence ties between Denmark and the Netherlands, DALO signed an agreement with COMMIT for the acquisition of five Thales Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission Compact radars (GM200 MM/C).

Forces face both traditional threats and new threats such as drone warfare. Fast and early detection is key to staying one-step ahead and protecting valuable assets. Today, modern Autonomous Unmanned Vehicles (UAVs) can defy detection by traditional radar systems and adversaries can exploit the low speed and coordinated attack capabilities of these aircraft to saturate the airspace in a conflict.

Designed for modern warfare, with operational excellence and military doctrine in mind, the GM200 MM/C from the Ground Master 200 family, provides simultaneous accurate detection, tracking and classification against all current and future threats, including drones.  It offers radar operators with more time-on-target to gather as much information on incoming threats as possible thanks to new-generation 4D AESA technology*. The system automatically detects tracks, classifies aircraft, missiles, helicopters, multiple UAVs and RAM (Rockets, Artillery and Mortar), and is particularly suited to air surveillance, air defence and weapon locating.

In addition, the compact design of the GM200 MM/C provides ease of choice from fixed location mode to high mobility, very short deployment times and ease of transportation on any platform. It also benefits from the latest software defined radar technology, enabling future upgrades and capabilities expansion to manage the ever-evolving spectrum of changing threats and doctrines.

Thales has a long-standing expertise in every aspect of air surveillance and air defence, from drone countermeasures to ballistic missile defence: surface radars, airborne radars, command centres, communication systems and equipment, and different types of effectors.

“I am very happy that we are now acquiring new, mobile radars for airspace surveillance. This is an advanced capability that the Armed Forces badly need, not least in light of the current serious political security situation, says Lieutenant General, Kim Jesper Jørgensen, chief of the Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO).

“Cooperation is important, especially among the smaller countries in Europe. The acquisition of the GM200 MM/C is an example of how allies can help each other in strengthening their defence forces by interoperable materiel. In addition, it is an advantage that both Denmark and the Netherlands have identical configurations of the GM200 MM/C, which enables cooperation for identical future updates and support, says Vice admiral Jan Willem Hartman, Commander at COMMIT.

 “This Government-to-Government contract will provide the Danish Air Force and the Dutch Armed Forces with a common radar platform for future collaboration. Thales contributes to the safety and security of military personnel and high value assets in European NATO countries and is proud to support nations in their mission for air sovereignty, says Gerben Edelijn, CEO Thales Netherlands.

 *AESA: Active Electronically Scanned Array (a unique dual axis multi-beam providing unrestricted beam steering flexibility in elevation and bearing)

 

Note to editors:

Ground Master 200 Multi Mission Family

The Ground Master 200 Multi Mission family (GM200 MM) is the new generation of Thales’ medium range ground radar including Thales 4D AESA technology. It benefits from Thales GM200 and NS100/200 technology background and many years fielded experience of more than 20 user groups.

The GM200 MM exists in two different mobile versions:

• The Ground Master 200 Multi Mission “all in one” (GM200 MM/A) targeting mainly Air Surveillance as well as Ground-Based Air Defence (GBAD) operations (up to low level Medium Range Air Defence - MRAD). It maintains the well-known GM200 integrated Command and Control shelter and facilitates space for the radar mast to gain elevation for low-level air surveillance and two operators on board.
• The Ground Master 200 Multi Mission “compact” version (GM200 MM/C) is a pallet version offering higher tactical mobility and quicker deployment, as well as specific mission capabilities such as artillery Counter Battery and Weapon Locating. It also suits well Very Short-Range Air Defence and Short Range Air Defenc (VSHOR/SHORAD) missions as its GM200 MM/A brother.
• Both versions are easy to transport, optimized for network centric remote operations, and ultimately save time in planning, training and operation.

4D AESA family

• Thales’ scalable and upgradable antenna architecture is the core of Thales’ medium- and long-range 4D AESA radar family (NS50, NS100/200, GM200 MM, SMART-L MM / F, Sea Fire and Ground Fire).

The fully digital & software-defined 4D AESA radar technology offers upgrade capacity over the whole life cycle to permanently maintain the tailored operational capability against evolving threats, including enhanced tracking & classification performance.