TRS-4D AESA radar accepted by US Navy

The US Navy (USN) has taken delivery of the first Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) equipped with the Hensoldt TRS-4D G-band rotating active electronically scanned array (AESA) multifunction radar – and disclosed the nomenclature AN/SPS-80 for the type.

Accepted from prime contractor Lockheed Martin on 26 July, USS Indianapoli s (LCS 17) is the first Freedom-variant LCS to be equipped with the TRS-4D air/surface surveillance radar. This marks a significant upgrade over the TRS-3D/16 multimode pencil beam radar system (designated AN/SPS-75 by the USN) fitted to the first eight Freedom-variant ships.

Based on solid-state gallium nitride technology, TRS-4D employs full digital beam forming, with pulse-Doppler processing in all beams. Key performance characteristics quoted by Hensoldt include a maximum instrumented range of up to 250 km, a minimum range of less than 100 m, the ability to detect targets with a radar cross-section of 0.01 sq m, a track update rate of < 1 second, and a track capacity (air and surface) in excess of 1,000 targets.

Built by Fincantieri Marinette Marine at its yard in Marinette, Wisconsin, Indianapolis completed acceptance trials on Lake Michigan in June. According to Hensoldt, the TRS-4D radar passed acceptance trials “without issue”.

A total of eight TRS-4D radar are under currently contracted for the Freedom-variant LCS, of which six have passed factory acceptance. The second AN/SPS-80 radar has been installed aboard the future USS St Louis (LCS 19) and is being prepared for acceptance trials.