Singapore Commissioned Elta Systems ELM-2311-based Safari Weapon Locating Radar

The Singapore Army has commissioned the SAFARI Weapon Locating Radar (WLR) into service. The new WLR joined other types of WLR already in service with the Singapore Artillery, namely, AN/TPQ-36, AN/TPQ-37 and ARTHUR.  Similar to the ARTHUR WLR which is mounted on a Bv206 vehicle, the SAFARI is mounted on the larger BRONCO all terrain vehicle.  The BRONCO will confer superb mobility as compared to the original 6 x 6 truck. The new radar appears to be the
Elta Systems ELM-2311 CRAM (Counter Rocket, Artillery, Mortar) CRAM system.
AN/TPQ-53 which has a 360 degree coverage mode.



Detail of the new SAFARI WLR and its performance was not revealed. However, the performance should be an improvement on the Swedish designed ARTHUR WLR. The ARTHUR WLR was previously deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 to provide force protection for International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) personnel in Tarin Kowt. It boosted a 100% detection rate over its 15-months deployment. The ARTHUR WLR has a detection range of up 60 km and can be brought into action with 5 minutes by a crew of 11 men. It was first introduced into the Singapore Armed Forces service in 2003.


According to Elta, the ELM-2311 is a 3D Active Electronically Scanned Array radar with a persistent surveillance sector mode of 120º or 360º rotating mode. 




In separate news, a possible sale notification of six AN/TPQ-53V target acquisition radar systems was registered with the US Congress in 2013.[This post previously identified the AN/TPQ-53 as the radar for the SAFARI WLR. This is an error.]

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Land Forces 2016: GBAMD Systems Vying for Land 19

Land 19 Phase 7B will see enhanced Ground Based Air and Missile Defence (GBAMD) capability for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). This will include a deployable short-range GBAD (Ground Based Air Defence) system to replace the in-service Saab RBS 70 MANPADS by the early 2020s. A medium-range GBAMD missile system will be acquired in the mid-to-late 2020s. In addition, the ADF wants enhanced counter-rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) capability which would be complemented by a gun system as a last line of defence.

The Request for Tender (RfT) for Land 19 Phase 7B will be issued in the last quarter of 2016. The previously issued Request for Information (RfI) specified a sensor suite, effector suite (i.e. weapon) and C4I system that can absorb the existing functionality of Phase 7A. Multiple sensors and weapons may be specified by the tenders.

European consortium MBDA is proposing their Enhanced Modular Air Defence Solutions (EMADS) for the short-to-medium range solution, combined with the Mistral MANPADS for the lower level threats. The EMADS has two versions, the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) and CAMM-ER (Extended Range). The EMADS offers a layered defensive range of 25km or 45km for the extended range option. It uses a soft vertical launch which confers a 360 degree coverage.

Saab is offering the RBS 70NG. Australia already operates the RBS 70, which was recently updated with IFF Mode 5, and the Giraffe AMB radars. Australia also purchased the Giraffes plus SRCTec Light Counter-Mortar Radars as part of Land 19 Phase 7A as an urgent requirement for C-RAM protection for Australian troops in Afghanistan. The RBS-70NG will add an auto-tracker. At Land Forces 2016 in Adelaide, Saab exhibited a scale model of a three-tube launcher mounted on a Thales Hawkei vehicle. The associated Giraffe 1X radar could also be mounted on a Hawkei to provide a mobile capability for the GBAD system. Rheinmetall may cooperate with Saab to its 35mm Revolver Gun for the last ditch gun system requirement. Northrop Grumman informed that it was working towards an MoU with Saab among other companies. Northrop Grumman is prime integrator for the US Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) and is a potential bidder for the Land 19 Phase 7B.

Rafael may offer a solution based on its battle-proven Iron Dome. The system achieved a 90% interception rate in more than 1700 launches while protecting Israel. Each truck mounted launcher can carry 20 missiles. A useful load for combat persistence. The Iron Dome has a range of up to 70km.

Raytheon and Kongsberg are partnering to offer the Medusa, an improved NASAMS 2 system (National Advance Surface to Air Missile System) based on the AIM-120 AMRAAM. Each battery would have 12 launchers. Each launcher is loaded with 6 AMRAAMs. Future growth is possible with the longer range AMRAAM-ER missiles that is currently under development.



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