ThalesRaytheonSystems has been selected to deliver Medium Range Air Surveillance Systems including 14 Ground Master 403 radar systems, 12 for Finland and two for Estonia, and a Long Range Air Identification and Surveillance Radar System Mid Life Upgrade for five Teresa 22XX radars for Finland, which were previously supplied by Thales.
The order value for the Ground Master radars and the Teresa upgrade is expected to be approximately EUR 200 million ($265 million).
ThalesRaytheonSystems has also been selected to provide 12 Sentinel radars as part of the air defense system selected by the Finnish Ministry of Defense to fulfill Finland’s future Medium Range Air Defense Missile System (MRADMS) requirements.
Thales and ThalesRaytheonSystems have significantly invested in new radar technologies since 2003, developing innovative air defense radar systems that are capable of handling today’s and future operational requirements. The Ground Master 403 is part of ThalesRaytheonSystems’ fully digital 3D air defense radar family.
This current selection should lead to the largest order so far for the Ground Master family, which has already been acquired by France, Malaysia and Slovenia.
Designed to protect key assets to forces deployed on remote operations, the Ground Master 403 is the only system of its kind to combine superior detection of the most difficult threats at low, medium and high altitudes with an unprecedented level of availability and mobility. The mobility, survivability and cost efficiency of the Ground Master 403 will make it an outstanding contributor to Finland’s and Estonia’s air surveillance.
The midlife upgrade of the Finnish Air Force’s current long range air defense radar, Teresa 22XX, will extend the radar’s life by at least 15 years, optimizing the radar’s life cycle costs and incorporating the latest digital technology.
ThalesRaytheonSystems also announces today that 12 Sentinel radars will be included in the Kongsberg/Raytheon Air Defense System – NASAMS – to fulfill Finland’s future Medium Range Air Defense Missile System (MRADMS) requirements.
The participation of many local industries in these programs will create a significant number of jobs locally.
“We are proud to be selected for the largest air defense radar order in over five years ,” said Michel Mathieu, Chief Executive Officer of ThalesRaytheonSystems. “This selection builds on the breakthrough the Ground Master technology has made on the market and the long and fruitful cooperation that already exists in Finland and Estonia with ThalesRaytheonSystems’ parent companies.”
ThalesRaytheonSystems is an international company specializing in air defense systems and a global leader of air operation command and control systems, 3D air defense radars, battlefield and counter-battery radars. The company’s annual revenue in 2008 was $900 million, and it employs 1,600 people. ThalesRaytheonSystems is equally owned by Raytheon and Thales.
