27 May 2020

Indra to upgrade Spanish ground-based air defence radars

Indra is to enhance the ground-based air defence capabilities of the Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire Español: EdAE), with a radar modernisation contract received on 27 May.

Lanza 3D radars operated by the Spanish Air Force are to receive an IFF upgrade from manufacturer, Indra.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract will see the company update the identification, friend or foe (IFF) systems of its Lanza 3D ground-based radars, as used by the EdAE’s aerial surveillance squadrons (EVA).

“With this upgrade, the systems will comply with the most recent NATO interoperability standards, which will soon be mandatory for military aircraft and ground systems,” Indra said, adding, “These are systems capable of interrogating an aircraft over 470 km away to identify it, and determine whether or not it is a threat.”

Deployed on Spanish national territory, the Lanza radars provide not only ground-based aerial surveillance capabilities for the EdAE, but for NATO also. The current system is equipped with a Mode 4/Mode S integral IFF/monopulse secondary surveillance radar (IFF/MSSR) subsystem. As noted by Indra, the IFF upgrade will see the radars receive encrypted Mode 5, Mode S and Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) identification methods.

“The new equipment supplied by Indra will be set up for security accreditation and will be resistant to cyber attacks. [It] will offer reinforced protection for the data exchanged with civil air traffic control entities,” Indra said.

According to the company, its contract with the Spanish MoD will run for three-and-a-half years, and comes with the associated logistic support in the EdAE’s EVAs and in the Logistic Transmissions Center (CLOTRA, in Spanish). This ensures that the systems will be operational throughout their life-cycle of at least 15 years.

Indra is to enhance the ground-based air defence capabilities of the Spanish Air Force (Ejército del...

Jane's Find unrivaled intelligence, consultancy and advertising solutions to the defence and national security sectors.