Lockheed Martin sells air radars to Latvia

SYRACUSE, N.Y., Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin has won a Latvian contract for two long-range air surveillance radar systems.

Lockheed Martin said in a statement Tuesday that it had "received a contract valued at $44 million from the Latvian National Armed Forces for two long-range AN/TPS-77 transportable air surveillance radar systems, as well as options for long-term technical support. Included in the contract were priced options for up to four additional TPS-77 radars for Estonia and Lithuania."

"In 2003, Lockheed Martin delivered one AN/TPS-77 radar each to Estonia and Latvia to expand the capabilities of BALTNET, the joint air surveillance network that monitors the airspace over and around the Baltic states of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. Those radars provided air surveillance capabilities that supported the three nations' entry into NATO in 2004," the company said.

"Brig. Gen. Juris Maklakovs, commander of the National Armed Forces of Latvia, presided over a contract signing ceremony for the two new radars on December 4 during which he expressed pleasure on how well the current AN/TPS-77 is performing," the company said

"The new radars will further enhance air surveillance within Latvia, while helping us complete our national defense requirements," Gen. Maklakovs said.

"We are delighted by the confidence that the government of Latvia has again placed in Lockheed Martin," said Carl Bannar, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin's Radar Systems business in Syracuse, N.Y. "We're pleased to provide these systems to one of our nation's strategic allies."

"The AN/TPS-77 is the latest configuration of the world's most successful 3-D solid-state radar design. This transportable radar provides continuous high-quality 3-D surveillance on aircraft targets at ranges out to 250 nautical miles," Lockheed Martin said.

"The AN/TPS-77 shares commonality with Lockheed Martin's AN/FPS-117 radar with regard to maintenance activity and Line Replaceable Units -- LRUs. There are 26 AN/TPS-77s and 127 AN/FPS-117 systems operational in more than 20 countries. Many have performed for years completely unmanned in remote areas, and in a wide range of operational environments," the company said.