BAE Systems has selected South Australian company Dedicated Systems to provide the software that will be integral to the upgrade of the Jindalee Operational Radar Network.
JORN provides long range, persistent wide area surveillance of aircraft and ships across Australia’s northern maritime approaches. BAE will integrate customised software to strengthen the JORN's ability to protect Australia’s northern borders.
BAE Systems is undertaking the most significant system upgrade of the world leading radar since it was accepted into service in 2003.
"The application of rapidly developing technology will help ensure Australia maintains a capability edge and superior situational awareness to ensure our northern approaches are secure," BAE Systems CEO Gabby Costigan said.
The new software will significantly increase the area covered by the radar and the amount of information gathered for the RAAF.
An important part of the radar upgrade is the planned migration to a modular and scalable framework of open system architecture which will increase the reliability and performance of the radar.
This will also enable faster system maintenance and upgrades, and can be integrated with other software.
Through Dedicated Systems, software connectivity specialist RTI will provide a product called ‘Connext DDS’ as the framework for the software upgrade. The software will enhance real time data distribution, and will be installed at the three radar sites (in Queensland, NT, and WA) over five years.
Dedicated Systems worked with RTI to validate the software modernisation for BAE Systems in a two year demonstrator project to ensure it would meet the needs of the JORN upgrade.
BAE Systems, Dedicated Systems and RTI are also collaborating to establish HF technology exports opportunities as part of the partnership.