Leonardo signed a contract with RUAG Aviation for the supply of the Seaspray 5000E electronic scanning radar for the Dornier 228 multi-role aircraft, recently ordered by the Bengali Navy. The new aircraft will be used to monitor and protect the 118.813 square kilometers of the territorial waters of Bangladesh and the exclusive economic zone. Radars will be delivered in the 2018.
The radars, which can also detect small targets and with stormy seas, will be used by the Bengali Navy to carry out anti-smuggling and anti-pollution missions and to prevent illegal fishing and immigration. Since the system is particularly suited to search and rescue activities, the new patrol aircraft will also be able to conduct rescue missions for crews in the event of natural disasters, which is of particular interest to the Bengali Navy since the Bay of Bengal is often affected by cyclones and hurricanes.
Leonardo is the world leader in the application of AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) technology in the field of surveillance radars. This technology allows the use of a matrix of miniature radar modules to direct the beam electronically, rather than physically pointing the radar antenna towards the target. Thanks to this technology, the company's Seaspray and Osprey surveillance radar ranges represent the perfect combination of high performance, highly competitive reliability and total cost of purchase, as well as being easy to install and use.
Leonardo's AESA surveillance radars are used throughout the world, including the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and are selected for the most challenging programs such as, for example, the US Navy's MQ-8C Fire Scout. In total, 30 international customers have chosen AESA radars
produced by the company.
In addition to providing AESA surveillance radars, Leonardo is the European leader in the field of fire control radars. The company supplies AESA Raven ES-05 radar for Saab's Gripen-E fighter jets and heads the pan-European Euroradar consortium for the development of the new AESA radar from
Typhoon aircraft, the Captor-E.
