14 May 2021

South Korea awards contract for series production of indigenous coastal surveillance radar

by Gabriel Dominguez & Dae Young Kim

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has awarded a KRW164 billion (USD145.4 million) contract to defence systems company LIG Nex1 for the mass production of the indigenously developed Maritime Surveillance Radar-II.

South Korean company LIG Nex1 has been awarded a KRW164 billion (USD145.4 million) contract to mass-produce the indigenously developed Maritime Surveillance Radar-II for use by the RoKN. (DAPA)

The agency announced in a 14 May statement that the coastal surveillance radar will be deployed by the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) along the South Korean coastline as well as on islands to cover “all sea areas”. The system features “improved detection capabilities” and increased resolution providing more accurate direction and distance determination of ships and aircraft than the ageing coastal radars currently in service, said DAPA.

Development of the new radar, which is also smaller than the ones in service, began in 2015 with collaboration from LIG Nex1 under a project valued at about KRW31.6 billion.

South Korean company STX Engine and about 100 small and medium-sized partners will participate in the mass production of the new radar system, which is set to begin in 2022, according to DAPA. The Yonhap News Agency reported that production is expected to last until 2026, to replace ageing radar units “in phases”.

An image released by DAPA shows that the system features a rotating parabolic antenna reflector with a feedhorn support boom setup. The system is housed in a radome and mounted atop a personnel-accessible pedestal.

The radome, which is meant as a protective cover, will enable the radar to operate without interruption even amid strong winds and during typhoons. Moreover, being resistant to heat and shock, system resilience will be improved and power consumption reduced, compared with existing equipment, said DAPA.

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has awarded a KRW164 billion (USD145...

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