IDET 2023: Inflatable Leopard 2A4 decoys sent to Ukraine

by Nicholas Fiorenza

Inflatech displayed an inflatable Leopard 2A4 tank decoy system at IDET 2023. (Janes/Nicholas Fiorenza)

Inflatable Leopard 2A4 tank decoys are being supplied to Ukraine, Janes learnt at the International Defence and Security Technology Fair (IDET) 2023 held in Brno, Czech Republic, from 24 to 26 May. At the show, Czech-based company Inflatech displayed Leopard 2A4 and Czech STARKOM communication jammer inflatable decoys.

The decoys are designed to deceive and mislead an enemy by simulating objects and for use in electronic warfare training. The Leopard 2A4 decoy weighs 44 kg and the STARKOM decoy 35.2 kg. Their optical granularity is 0.2 m, thermal granularity is 0.6 m, and electronic granularity is 4 m, according to Inflatech. The company claims that they appear to an RQ-20 unmanned aerial vehicle as a real object from approximately 1,500 m.

The decoys can be inflated by a 150 ccm four-stroke petrol or diesel engine and take two people 10 minutes to deploy or pack. It is stable in winds up to 15 m/s, according to Inflatech.


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Denmark extends service life of AN/TPS-77 radars

by Olivia Savage

Lockheed Martin's AN/TPS-77 ground-based radar is a deployable version of the AN/TPS-117 radar that can be set up within 30 minutes. (Lockheed Martin)

The Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition Logistics Organisation (Forsvarsministeriets Materiel: FMI) has contracted Lockheed Martin to extend the life of the Royal Danish Air Force's two AN/TPS-77 long-range transportable radars.

According to the FMI on 31 May, the two radars will receive a mid-life upgrade (MLU) that was planned as part of the Danish Defence Agreement 2018–2023. The MLU is expected to be completed by mid-2025.

Lockheed Martin was awarded a USD40 million contract in 2005 for the provision of two AN/TPS-77 radars to enhance Denmark's air surveillance capabilities. The systems are stationed at fixed sites within radomes but can be quickly redeployed when required.

The AN/TPS-77 is a 3D active electronically scanned array (AESA) transportable air surveillance radar operating in the 1,215–1,400 MHz frequency band. The system has a range of 470 km and a detection altitude of 100,000 ft. It is in service with a number of countries including Australia, Brazil, Estonia, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Latvia, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea, the UK, and the US.


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Netherlands to acquire new portable radios

by Olivia Savage

The AN/PRC-163 two-channel radio will be procured for the Dutch armed forces as part of a wider communications programme known as Foxtrot that seeks to develop an agile interoperable land force supported with secure communications. (Harris Corp)

The Netherlands will replace all of its existing portable ground-to-air radios as part of the broader EUR1.5 billion (USD1.6 billion) 10-year Foxtrot tactical communications programme.

The project, known as the ‘Replacement of Ground-Air Radios', will involve acquiring L3Harris Technologies Falcon III AN/PRC-117G and AN/PRC-163 radios, replacing existing AN/PRC-117F and AN/PRC-152 systems that have been in service with the armed forces since 2002, the Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 25 May.

A number of AN/PRC-167 radios integrated into specific vehicles will also be purchased.

A total of 1,200 new radios will be acquired with up to EUR250 million allocated for the programme, the MoD said.


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Quantum navigation sensor tested by RN

by Richard Scott

The quantum accelerometer has been developed by Imperial College London. (Imperial College London)

A prototype quantum sensor device developed by Imperial College London completed the first period of at-sea testing onboard the UK Royal Navy (RN) trials and experimentation vessel XV Patrick Blackett .

The experiment is seen as a potential first step in understanding the application and exploitation of quantum-enabled navigation, which could provide significant navigational advantages when operating in environments where global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), such as Global Positioning System (GPS), are degraded or denied.

The quantum sensor developed by Imperial College London is a type of accelerometer. While conventional accelerometers are used in many different devices such as mobile phones and laptops, these sensors cannot maintain precise accuracy over long periods of time without an external reference to correct ‘drift'.


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https://www.janes.com/defence-news/c4isr-command-tech/latest/idet-2023-inflatable-leopard-2a4-decoys-sent-to-ukraine

Inflatable Leopard 2A4 tank decoys are being supplied to Ukraine, Janes learnt at the International ...

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