South Africa: Companies that build weapons systems: Company launches new Quadome Land radar
Hensoldt South Africa has launched the latest version of its flagship Quadome radar, the Quadome Land, designed for air and surface surveillance and targeting.
The three-dimensional multi-mission radar was officially launched at Air Force Base Waterkloof on 22 September during the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition and goes a long way towards Hensoldt South Africa’s goal to become the leading manufacturer and exporter of air-surveillance and defence radars on the African continent.
The Quadome Land ground-based air and surface surveillance radar follows the launch of its naval Quadome counterpart at DSEi in September 2021, and supports the further internationalisation of the Hensoldt Group’s radar business.
Quadome Land is aimed at the global market for tactical ground-based air defence radar systems, deployed in the air defence or coastal surveillance roles. Because of its compact size, relatively low mass and good price-performance ratio, the radar offers 3D air surveillance and air defence capabilities that are highly mobile and easily deployable, Hensoldt South Africa said.
The entire radar system, including two-man operators’ console, can fit inside a standard 20 foot ISO shipping container, making it highly portable. Programme Manager of Hensoldt South Africa’s radar business unit, Jaco Botha, said Quadome Land offers a ‘radar in a box’ capability as it is completely self-contained, and it can be transported in a C-130 Hercules or similar aircraft. It has its own electric and hydraulic power for self-deployment, which takes 15 minutes.
The active electronically scanned array (AESA) C band radar has two main modes of engagement: air surveillance, and air defence for target engagement. Instrumented tracking range is up to 200 km and the radar can track 1 000 targets simultaneously. It features frequency hopping within its band.
World class product
“Quadome is a result of many man-years of engineering effort to develop a world-class product that will revolutionise the radar landscape worldwide,” said Rynier van der Watt, Managing Director of Hensoldt South Africa.
“Quadome is designed to maximise system performance, while minimising acquisition and life-cycle costs,” said Bennie Langenhoven, Chief Executive of the Radar Business Unit. As Quadome is a software-defined radar, it can easily be upgraded in the future as technology develops.
The development of Quadome has been undertaken in South Africa through a close collaboration between Hensoldt South Africa and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), with over 40 engineers collectively working on this product since 2018. It is currently the largest defence radar development programme in South Africa.
“Not only is a Quadome a world-class product that will revolutionise the radar landscape worldwide, it also makes a significant contribution to the technology available to detect and protect our own borders and seas in the South African defence landscape,” said van der Watt.