The first shipboard AESA radar was the OPS-24 fire control radar mounted on the Japanese destroyer HAMAGIRI (DD 155) launched in 1988. Developed by Mitsubishi, OPS-24 operated in the L-band (1-2GHz) and had 360° azimuth coverage. A more recent development for the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) is the FCS-3 integrated naval weapon system. This multifunction AESA radar has two sets of antennas: The larger one operates in the C-band (4-8GHz) for surveillance and tracking, the smaller one is an X-band (8-12GHz) fire control radar. FCS-3 was introduced in 2007 with an enhanced version, FCS-3A, being installed on the AKIZUKI-class (19DD) destroyers.
One of the first AESA radars to be deployed on a European warship is the Active Phased Array Radar (APAR), a multifunction, 3D radar developed by Thales Nederland. It has four fixed sensor arrays mounted on a pyramidal structure, each array consisting of 3,424 TRMs operating in the X-band. APAR can track over 200 air targets to a range of 150km and over 150 surface targets to a range of 32 kilometres. It can carry out horizontal search out to 75km and a volume search out to 150 kilometres. Thirty-two semi-active radar homing missiles can be guided simultaneously, including 16 in the terminal guidance phase. APAR is installed on four Royal Netherlands Navy frigates, three Royal Danish Navy frigates, and three German Navy Type F124 frigates.
Germany has also selected the TRS-4D/NR (Non-Rotating) system developed by Airbus DS for four new Type F125 frigates, with an Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in 2016. The TRS-4D/NR, operating in the C-band, is installed with four fixed antenna panels mounted on the ships’ two main masts. TRS-4D/NR can carry out several reconnaissance tasks simultaneously. It can do a long-range scan of the sea surface and airspace while tracking individual targets, operating in both ‘blue water’ and littoral environments.
The RAN-40L, a 3D, L-band search radar produced by Leonardo-Finmeccanica, is used for long-range maritime air surveillance and early warning, and is capable of detecting and tracking aircraft or UAS up to 400km away. Radar coverage is obtained by phase scanning in elevation, while mechanically rotating an antenna in azimuth. RAN-40L is deployed on the Italian aircraft carrier CAVOUR (C 550).
The Italian manufacturer also unveiled a new version of its KRONOS multifunction AESA radar in 2014. It can perform surveillance, tracking, threat evaluation, and fire control against multiple threats, simultaneously and automatically, at all altitudes. The radar has been designed to detect even very small maritime threats, and can provide missile guidance. It links surveillance to air defence, covering all threats from low-level supersonic cruise missiles to small UAVs.
In operation on-board the UK Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer, the SAMPSON radar is at the core of the SEA VIPER naval air defence system. A dual-face AESA radar produced by BAE Systems Maritime, it provides surveillance and dedicated tracking of hundreds of targets, enabling the Type 45 to defend itself and other ships in its company from attack. SAMPSON is compatible with both active and semi-active homing missile systems, providing mid-course guidance, and it operates in the S-band (2-4GHz) with a power of 25kW and a range of 400 kilometres.
In August 2005, Australia and the US signed an agreement to develop AESA technology in Australia. CEA Technologies in Australia and Northrop Grumman in the US jointly developed CEAFAR as part of Australia’s project to make its ANZAC frigates survivable against supersonic cruise missile attacks. CEAFAR is an S-band AESA radar, designed to be supplemented with the X-band CEAMOUNT solid-state Continuous Wave Illuminator. The combined system of radar and illuminator allows the generation and maintenance of more than 10 simultaneous fire control channels.
IAI has developed MF-STAR (ELM-2248) for use on naval platforms. It delivers a high-quality situation picture and weapon support under severe target/environmental conditions. MF-STAR incorporates a lightweight antenna with four active arrays operating in the S-band that can be tailored to fit even relatively small ships. Additionally, it can provide guidance for anti-air missiles and automatically initiates tracking for low-flying attacking missiles at ranges of 25km and for high-flying fighter aircraft at more than 120 kilometres. Hundreds of targets can be tracked simultaneously. It is currently installed on the Indian Navy’s VIKRANT-class aircraft carrier and KOLKATA-class destroyers, as well as the Israel Navy’s EILAT-class (SA’AR 5) corvettes.
The Type 346 radar, with an antenna array comprising 1,524 TRMs, is installed on-board two PLAN-operated LUYANG II-class (Type 052C) destroyers. The PLAN’s aircraft carrier LIAONING (16), formerly constructed for the Soviet Navy, has a similar radar using technology characterised by high-energy consumption that requires special cooling equipment. A new AESA system being installed on the new-generation LUYANG III-class (Type 052D) destroyers has a liquid cooling system for the antenna instead of the air cooling system in the Type 346 radar. As a liquid cooling system has larger cooling capacity and the contact area is bigger in the antenna array, it must be assumed that the new radar has greater power and better performance than the Type 346.