Forecast International,
NEWTOWN, Conn: In a new analysis, Forecast International projects that the worldwide radar market will be worth $50 billion over the next 10 years. The study, entitled “The Market for Radar Systems,” is based on a review of 107 radar production, operations & maintenance, and RDT&E programs. Overall, 11,306 individual radar units will be produced during the 2007-2016 timeframe, according to the analysis.
New technology is an important driver of the market. According to William Ostrove, Electronics Analyst and author of the study, “The expanding availability of technology is increasing the appeal of many radar systems that were previously available only to the largest and best equipped militaries.”
One example of this trend is the growth of the airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) market. Radar systems that take advantage of the latest technology to provide good performance at a low cost include the MESA radar, Erieye, and EL/M-2075 Phalcon.
The marketplace is also being driven by the growth of active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology. AESA has increased the overall capability of radar systems, allowing them to provide increased situational awareness to warfighters. As AESA radars leave the drawing board and enter production, they become more desirable. Ostrove says that even though mechanical array radars still make up the bulk of radar production, the more expensive AESA radars are nearly identical to mechanical array radars in terms of value of production. AESA radar programs, such as the APG-81, will account for a growing percentage of radar production and funding over the next 10 years.
The report says that the growth of asymmetric forces, such as those in Afghanistan and Iraq, is another factor contributing to change in the radar industry. “The two primary concerns of military planners have become mobility and the ability to operate close to the enemy and in urban areas,” said Ostrove. Accordingly, the latest radars can handle multiple tasks, sometimes replacing several types of older radar systems.
Major players such as Raytheon and Northrop Grumman continue to top Forecast International’s list of top five radar producers. At the same time, growing numbers of consortiums are appearing on the list. These include AGS Industries, an international consortium formed to develop the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system; MEADS International, developer of an air defense weapons system for the United States, Germany, and Italy; and Euroradar, which develops and produces the ECR-90 CAPTOR for the Typhoon.
Forecast International, Inc., is a leading provider of Market Intelligence and Analysis in the areas of aerospace, defense, power systems and military electronics. Based in Newtown, Conn., USA, Forecast International specializes in long-range industry forecasts and market assessments used by strategic planners, marketing professionals, military organizations, and governments worldwide.
