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On 31 January and 1 February 2007 the first Thales SMART-S Mk2 surveillance radar was subjected to the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT). The outcome of the test left no doubts: SMART-S Mk2 easily proved its full compliance with all requirements and even exceeded a number of specifications. The entire test was witnessed by representatives of the Royal Danish Navy, the launching customer of SMART-S Mk2.
The FAT was held right on schedule, three years after the Royal Danish Navy signed the contract for two of these ultramodern surveillance radars. At that moment the actual development of the system started, meaning that Thales succeeded to develop the radar in a record-breaking three years. And considering the FAT was concluded without any problems, it was a “first time right” development.
After the FAT the system will be transported to Denmark for installation on board of the HDMS Absalon, the first of the two Flexible Support Ships that are presently being built. The Sea Trials will be performed in the summer of this year.
In the meantime, the second SMART-S Mk2 system has passed all environmental tests and will be transported to a coastal test site in France for tests with all kinds of air and surface targets. Since November 2006 Factory Evaluation Flight Trials were performed with small aircraft, helicopters and calibrated targets having a radar cross section of 0.1 m2 en 0.01 m2. The results of these tests were much better than required by the customer.
