Italy's Leonardo-Finmeccanica has given new details about the contract to supply its flat panel, e-scan Osprey radar for the US Navy's MQ-8C Fire Scout helicopter UAV.

The $5.8 million deal was first announced by the Navy in June, but Leonardo was hitherto prevented from speaking about it while an ultimately unsuccessful challenge to the contract was mounted by rival Telephonics.

The contract covers an initial batch of five radars for testing and evaluation followed by an option for more, the firm said Oct. 17.

The Navy has chosen a two panel version, providing a 240-degree field of view and offering modes, including weather detection, air-to-air targeting and a ground moving target indicator (GMTI).

The panels will be placed at the front of the UAV, said Brendan Nolan, vice president of sales for radar at Leonardo Airborne and Space Systems.

The Osprey can also be supplied in a three panel version offering 360 degree coverage.

A key selling point for the Navy was the lack of moving parts in the radar panels, meaning less maintenance, said Nolan.

"We also offered the Navy a radar that exceed requirements with no development money required," he added.

Nolan said 40 Firescouts might need equipping and foreign military sales could see the Osprey sold through the US in export markets.

"If you are interested in weather out front, a target search off to the left and coast mapping on the right, you can do all that at once with the Osprey," he said.

The radar has already been sold to the Norweigan Air Force for use on its AW101 search and rescue helicopters.

Leonardo-Finmeccanica, which is successfully focusing on the market for small e-scan radars for UAVs and smaller aircraft, claims the Osprey does away with the need for bulky, rotating radars on the belly of aircraft.

Weighing 50 kilograms, the radar mounts antennas that weigh just over 11 kilograms each.

Tom Kington is the Italy correspondent for Defense News.

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