PN Secures Air Defense Radar For Frigates

15 December 2016


The Government of the Philippines has secured approval for the acquisition of a pair of multi-role AN/SPS-77 Sea Giraffe 3D Air Search Radars and related support equipment from the United States (US) to be used for its naval frigates.

The radars will be supplied by Swedish firm SAAB Defense and Security in a deal valued at $25 million coming from US Foreign Military Sale (FMS) assistance under its Southeast Asia Maritime Security Initiative, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Wednesday.

The AN/SPS-77 Air Search Radars will be installed on two Hamilton-class cutters acquired through the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program by VSE Corp and Saab.

The state of the art radar system replaces the old SPS-40 radar of the cutters which were previously removed by the US Coast Guard and is expected to provide enhanced ability to detect and track air and sea contacts.

The new radar, which is also being installed into the USS Independence and other ships of the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Independence variant program, as well as ASEAN navies of Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, can detect air and surface targets from the horizon up to a height of 20,000 metres (66,000 ft) at elevations up to 70°, and can simultaneously handle multiple threats approaching from different directions and altitudes, including diving anti-ship missiles.

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