U.S. Border Aircraft to Mount Selex Radar
ROME - U.S. Customs and Border Protection aircraft will use an active electronically scanning array (AESA) radar made by Finmeccanica unit Selex Galileo, company officials said March 23.
Selex Galileo received a $9.2 million contract to mount its Vixen 500E radar on Customs and Border Protection C-550 Citation Tracker aircraft, which have hitherto used mechanically scanned radar, officials said.
The contract, which was awarded by TKC Aerospace, covers two radars and associated mission management systems. The radars will be used for spotting light aircraft on the U.S.-Canadian border.
A Selex official said that an order for a further two Vixens was expected.
"After that we foresee a further order of 10 radars, which could possibly be a mix of Vixens and the Selex Seaspray radar," said the official.
Selex has already sold its e-scan Seaspray 7500E radar to the U.S. Coast Guard for use on HC-130 H aircraft.
The Customs and Border Protection contract is a first for the e-scan Vixen, which has also been marketed for use on fighter aircraft.
The official said that the first radar would be delivered in October and the second at the end of the year or start of 2009. The switch to e-scan by the border control aircraft would increase reliability and boost detection range, he said.
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