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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