Lockheed Martin is partnering with Australia’s Defence Science Technology Group (DST Group) to enhance Over-the-Horizon Radar (OTHR) technology, which monitors aircraft and ships in the country’s northern maritime approaches, and drive innovation on new two-dimensional OTHR networks.
“This partnership [helps] to build in-country skills and capacity to test, modify and deploy technology,” Lockheed Martin Australia general manager Jack Mahoney said.
DST Group has been researching OTHR technology since the 1970s, culminating with the development of the Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN). Lockheed Martin Australia has extensive experience in OTHR as a key partner in the design, integration, construction and commissioning of the JORN and is partnered with the ADF in the design, integration and on-going maintenance and support for this national capability.
Credit: Lockheed Martin
“Much of Australia’s defence needs are unique to our location and geography,” Mahoney said.
Lockheed Martin’s collaboration on advanced two dimensional radar systems commenced in mid-2015 near Adelaide with a focus on system performance for export opportunities. The focus of these activities will be the detection of a particular class of targets that will be needed for future OTHR systems, especially in export markets. The first phase of this activity is expected to be complete by May 2016.
“Together our engineers will develop technologies to enhance system performance resulting in an advanced two-dimensional network,” Dr Alex Zelinsky Chief Defence Scientist DST Group said.
ADM will be covering this topic in depth in our forthcoming March issue.