Multi-Sensor Variant Fuses Additional Sensors to Proven Capabilities
ELTA Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has announced the appearance of the next generation of its highly successful ELM-2084 Multi-Mission Radar (MMR).
The combat-proven MMR provides air defence capabilities to customers around the world as well as being the radar of the IRON DOME, DAVID’S SLING and BARAK weapon systems. The new Multi-Sensor MMR (MS-MMR), fuses additional ELTA sensors to the main MMR system, thereby providing an active, passive and combined air situational picture (ASP). The system is to be introduced at the upcoming Paris Air Show.
Over the last decade, new types of aerial threats have emerged due to advance in low observable technologies. Platforms such as drones and UAVs, tactical aerial weapons, cruise missiles, and ballistic rockets and missiles have all created new challenges for air defence and surveillance systems. This has in turn created a demand for ASP systems to provide higher accuracy, faster update rates and enhanced identification of aerial threats, while increasing the need for survivability on the modern battlefield.
Operating in the S-band frequency, the MMR provides long-range air defence, air surveillance and fire control capabilities. By fusing the MMR with an additional higher-band radar and active IFF and ADS-B sensors plus passive SIGINT, EO/IR and Launch Detector Sensor (LDS) sensors, the MS-MMR now provides enhanced classification, identification and discrimination between very close targets even in dense areas and background clutter. It significantly improves the reliability of the ASP and situational awareness, and can efficiently handle new types of small, low, slow and hovering threats, as well as handling rockets and missiles at varying ranges. Since all the sensors are co-located and integrated at the system level, the MS-MMR provides a single output for all fused data, which greatly simplifies the delivery of the combined target data into command and control ASP networks.
“MMR is one of our most successful products, with over 100 systems sold worldwide. The MMR has grown and evolved throughout the years and has changed the landscape of the modern battlefield. We view the introduction of the MS-MMR as heralding a new era in the development of radar systems combined with both active and passive sensors which can immensely improve the reliability and survivability of an ASP system,” commented ELTA CEO Yoav Tourgeman.
