Germany orders WatchGuard
WatchGuard tactical mobile radar system. (Photo: IAI)
Israeli radar will be used by the German Armed Forces for ground-based reconnaissance and area monitoring.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and its subsidiary Elta are working with ESG Elektroniksystem und Logistik to manufacture and deliver 69 ELM-2180 WatchGuard tactical mobile radar systems to the German Land Forces.
The €36 million deal was signed between ESG and German defence procurement agency BAAINBw, IAI announced on 17 June.
‘The first radar systems are to be delivered at the beginning of 2022 and the final deliveries will take place in 2024,’ IAI added. ‘Included in the contract, the company will provide training courses and resources and initial spare parts in order to effectively share best practices.’
WatchGuard is a fifth-generation tactical ground surveillance radar, employing staring and electronic-steering search techniques for movement detection. By combining staring and scanning methods, the radar can be adapted and optimised ‘for any scenario’, IAI claimed.
The German Armed Forces intend to deploy WatchGuard as a ground-based reconnaissance and area monitoring system (BARÜ) to replace and provide a consolidated alternative to the following ageing legacy radars: PARA (for tank reconnaissance); ABRA (artillery observation); LEGAR 1 (light battlefield reconnaissance); and BOR-A 550 (ground surveillance).
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