US Navy shipbuilding branded “too slow” and “too expensive” by acquisition chief
Several of the US Navy’s leading programmes, including the Constellation-class frigate and the Virginia-class submarine, are significantly behind schedule.
Selex to provide Seaspray 5000E radar to Australia
Selex has been awarded a contract from Cobham Aviation Services in Australia for the supply of its Seaspray 5000E Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) surveillance radars, as announced on 16 April.
Cobham will use the radar to equip the Challenger CL-604 aircraft which will perform search and rescue (SAR) services for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
The Seaspray 5000E is ideally suited for SAR operations. In addition to its high reliability, compact size and ease of use, the radar’s AESA technology-enables small target detection capability.
Cobham's AMSA SAR contract will run for 12 years from August 2016, when the current contract expires. Under the contract, the company will acquire, modify, commission, operate and maintain four Challenger CL-604 aircraft from bases in Cairns, Melbourne and Perth to provide SAR capabilities over land and at sea. The aircraft will be available for SAR missions by AMSA at short notice 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Seaspray 5000E airborne surveillance AESA radar has already been delivered to another customer for SAR operations on Challenger aircraft, and it is in service with a third customer on the Sikorsky S-92 SAR helicopter. The larger Seaspray 7500E is in service on SAR duties with the US Coast Guard’s fleet of C-130 long range maritime patrol aircraft.
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