The Minister for Defence, John Moore, today named Racal Australia Pty Ltd as the preferred tenderer to manage procurement of 61 ground surveillance radar systems for the Australian Defence Force (ADF), in a project worth more than $50 million.
The radar systems will be issued to infantry battalions, artillery regiments, regional force surveillance units. Twenty-eight of the systems will be fitted to Australian light armoured vehicles (ASLAV) in armoured reconnaissance regiments.
"These advanced ground surveillance units will have the capability to detect, recognise and track land, air and sea targets, and to accurately direct artillery fire," Mr Moore said.
"This contract represents a key element of the ADF's ground based surveillance capability, for the foreseeable future.
"Racal Australia has offered to the ADF a system that is based on a proven system currently in service with overseas defence forces.
"Assembly and testing of the radar systems will be done in Adelaide by Vision Abell, which also will be responsible for through-life support," said Mr Moore.
The contract is expected to be signed in early 2000 and is part of the ADF's Project Ninox, named after the nocturnal Australian hunting owl.
First deliveries of the new radars expected in mid-2001.
