Two years after creating a joint venture to offer the market a low cost high capability AEW aircraft EMBRAER and ELTA the subsidiary of Israel aerospace industries are negotiating with some potential customers. The two companies try to market the aircraft emphasizing the capabilities of the Israeli developed radar that according to Elta is superior to parallel designs.
The promotion effort points to the combat proven capabilities of the Israeli airforce AEW aircraft (EITAM) based on the G-550 business jet. The main mission of the “Eitam”, a Gulfstream G-550 that is the platform carrying the ELTA radars, is to give Israeli long range detection of threats before any ground based radar can do the job.
With an endurance of over 8 hours and an altitude of 42.000 feet the Eitam supplies the IAF ‘s command and other squadrons ,with a real time aerial picture that is the basis for the complicated missions the IAF is required to perform. The Eitam carries the ELTA EL/W-2085 multi-sensor suite, which comprises four conformal L- and S-band radars, plus communication and electronic support measures, communications intelligence and ELINT capabilities and identification friend-or-foe equipment, plus various other antennas mounted on the fuselage.
Surveillance data gathered by these on-board sensors is fused and continuously cross-correlated, enabling the suite to be automatically cued to search for specific targets, up to full 360° coverage. The AEW radar uses four main active electronically scanned array antennas for wide-area coverage and to allow an instantaneous focus to be made on selected targets of interest.
Elta says the radar can be pointed at any direction at any time, with the parameters of its arrays controlled by a computer. As a result, surveillance can be limited to a battle zone and other areas of interest using a much higher scan rate. A special mode for maneuvering and high-value targets also employs a high scan rate, with beam shapes optimized to ensure tracking performance and extended detection range.
A new design of an AEW aircraft is offered now by Elta the electronics division of Israel aerospace industries (IAI) and Embraer. The new design is based on Elta’s advanced radars and other combat sensors and the capabilities of Embraer’s Perator 600 business aircraft.
According to Avishai Izhakian, deputy general manager, airborne systems and radar division, of Elta , the P600 AEW can provide an extended Air Situational Picture by monitoring aerial activity in areas outside ground radar coverage. It can perform various missions such as Air Defense, Early Warning, Command and Control, Fighter Fleet Efficiency, Territorial Defense, and Maritime Surveillance. The P600 AEW can be configured with the full range of AEW&C sensor and control systems: Digital AESA AEW Radar, civil and military IFF, ESM/ELINT with Radar Warning Receiver capability, Command & Control, comprehensive communication suite including Data Networks and Satellite Links, and a robust Self Protection Suite (SPS).
He added that the radar’s antenna is of the “fin” type installed on the upper part of the aircraft cabin. “This configuration gives a 240 degrees coverage” Izhakian said that compared to the price level this AEW aircraft gives “superior performance” equal and even better that such systems with double the price.
The ELta official said that the P600 AEW addresses the growing market of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance capabilities for countries that require cost-effective, high-performance and flexible solutions for defense and homeland security missions. The Embraer Praetor 600 is the best performing super-midsize bizjet in its category, offering intercontinental range with an outstanding payload capability, high availability and reliability, short turn-around and low life cycle costs. Coupled with ELTA’s superior radar technology, the P600 AEW offers the benefits of cutting edge, proven systems and provides capabilities available until now only on much larger platforms.
IAI/ELTA offers four lines of Special Mission Aircraft:
AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) Aircraft utilizing AESA radar and IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe), SIGINT and Communication systems to generate and disseminate an Air and Maritime Situational Picture. It also contains an Air Battle Management and Strike Aircraft Guidance System. ELTA’s CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) aircraft is fitted with a dual band AESA radar providing complete uncompromised 360° azimuthal coverage and is an example of a leading in the class system based on a business jet. IAI has entered into cooperation agreements with Airbus and Embraer to develop and market additional AEW&C aircraft variants.
AGS (Air to Ground Surveillance) aircraft using advanced AESA SAR/GMTI radar, SIGINT and EO/IR sensors and an Intelligence Management System to cover large areas, providing Real-
time detection, identification, tracking and distribution of surface targets from standoff range in all weather and visibility conditions. A leading product in this category is the IAI MARS2 that includes a breakthrough Digital AESA SAR/GMTI radar and latest generation SIGINT integrated with an advanced Multi-INT system, carried by a high performance business jet.
MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) equipped with high performance AESA radar, SIGINT and EO/IR sensors to create an up-to-date maritime picture during Search And Rescue missions, Maritime policing, Environmental Monitoring, Anti Surface Warfare (ASuW) and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) in support of Naval and Coast Guard operations. ELTA’s MPAs are based on business jets and turboprop platforms featuring the world leader combat proven ELM-2022 radar family, serving in many countries on all continents.
SIGINT (Signal Intelligence) aircraft monitoring the electromagnetic spectrum to detect and accurately locate emitter arrays and communication networks, creating a complete Electromagnetic Order of Battle over the entire large arena of interest. ELTA has developed and provided most advanced SIGINT aircraft to the IDF on business jet platform and supplied airborne SIGINT systems to many Special Mission Aircraft worldwide.
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