ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 1 (UPI) -- The MEADS program office in Florida announced completion of milestone tests with development of the system's multi-function fire control radar.
The Medium Extended Air Defense System officials said the MFCR team in Germany completed integration of the antenna array last year, clearing the way for assembly-level testing of the Transceiver Group.
Coolant pressure testing was completed and cooling distribution was demonstrated at the slip ring and antenna rotary joint. Final rotation tests at 15 and 30 rpm were successfully completed.
"The entire MEADS team is proud to see our first system elements moving to the test range," said MEADS International President Dave Berganini. "The first battle manager and launcher moved to the test range in Italy in December to initiate system tests. The MFCR will join them shortly.
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"We are on the path to flight tests at White Sands in 2012."
MEADS radars are designed to protect troops and assets on a battlefield where threats can attack from any direction.
The advanced MEADS X-band MFCR employs active phased array technology, using transmit/receive modules developed in Germany. The radar provides precision tracking and wideband discrimination and classification. It also incorporates advanced identification-friend-or-foe sensors.
The Medium Extended Air Defense System, under development by the United States, Italy and Germany, is a mobile system that will replace Patriot systems in the United States and Germany and the Nike Hercules systems in Italy. It is designed to permit full interoperability between the U.S. and allied forces and it is the only medium-range air defense system to provide full 360-degree coverage.
MEADS International, a multinational joint venture with headquarters in Orlando, Fla., is the prime contractor for MEADS. Major subcontractors and joint venture partners are MBDA in Italy, LFK in Germany and Lockheed Martin in the United States.
