Indonesian Air Force deploys Leonardo RAT 31DL/M long-range radar

The Indonesian Air Force's 221st Radar Unit based in Ngliyep, Malang, located in East Java has started operating Leonardo's RAT 31DL/M tactical long-range radar (pictured) to strengthen surveillance. (Leonardo)

Indonesia has started operating Leonardo's RAT 31DL/M tactical long-range radar to strengthen surveillance.

The Indonesian Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced in mid-July that the Indonesian Air Force (Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Udara: TNI-AU) is operating a RAT 31DL/M, jointly produced by Leonardo and the Bandung-based state-owned defence electronics firm, PT Len Industri.

The RAT 31DL/M radar is currently operated by the TNI-AU's 221st Radar Unit based in Ngliyep, Malang, located in East Java, the MoD said.

RAT 31DL/M with a maximum range of 400 km can detect a variety of incoming airborne threats including ballistic missiles, the MoD added.

The MoD said the radar is also equipped with a device to resist electronic countermeasures (ECM).

Leonardo announced in January 2020 that it signed a contract with PT Len to provide a RAT 31DL/M radar to the TNI-AU to enhance the service's air-defence capabilities. Under the contract, PT Len would supply local components, provide infrastructure support, and conduct maintenance operations for the radar.

According to Janes C4ISR and Mission Systems: Land , RAT 31DL/M is an L-band, distributed, solid-state, transportable, 3D radar that has a weight of about 30,000 kg. The radar's antenna has a width of 4.5 m, a height of 6.5 m, and includes 42 rows of transmit/receive modules with 52 radiators per row. RAT 31DL/M can detect airborne threats up to an altitude of 30,500 m.

RAT 31DL/M is also operated by the air forces of Austria, Germany, and Italy.

The Indonesian MoD had not responded to Janes