Norway selects Lockheed Martin TPY-4 radar to bolster air surveillance

The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency has selected Lockheed Martin's TPY-4 early warning multimission radar. (Lockheed Martin Corporation)

Lockheed Martin will supply its TPY-4 air surveillance radar to the Norwegian Armed Forces.

The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) has selected Lockheed Martin's TPY-4 radar to replace the country's ageing military air surveillance capabilities, the company announced on 17 November.

Eight military air surveillance radars will be acquired, with an option for a further three additional radars, the Norwegian Ministry of Defence (Forsvarsdepartement) said.

Out of the eight radars acquired, three will be installed in existing locations, replacing the current systems, while the other five will be installed in new locations. The Royal Norwegian Air Force will manage and operate the radars, Forsvarsdepartement added.

The first radar will be installed in Gyrihaugen, Norway, by the end of 2025. Delivery of the radars is expected to be completed by 2030, Forsvarsdepartement noted.

This contract also requires new facilities to be built, which the Norwegian Defence Estates Agency will manage. In addition to this, three regional technical maintenance centres will also be developed to monitor the condition of the sensors, Forsvarsdepartement said.

The radars will enable the Norwegian Armed Forces to maintain continuous surveillance of the country and the surrounding airspace, Forsvarsdepartement said.

TPY-4 is an L-band (1,215–1,400 MHz) 3D digital active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar that is capable of tracking satellites, detecting low-profile unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and conducting ballistic missile search and tracking. It is transportable via truck, rail, or helicopter and utilises gallium nitride.

In May, the TPY-4 was selected by the US Air Force (USAF) for the ‘Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar' (3DELRR) programme. The contract allows the USAF to procure up to 35 units.