Swedish radar for U.S. State Department

LINKOPING, Sweden, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- A radar system from Saab of Sweden has been ordered by the U.S. State Department to help protect its personnel and facilities abroad.

The purchase of the company's Giraffe AMB multi-mission radar system and related services is worth $23.7 million.

"Saab is proud that the U.S. Department of State has selected the Giraffe AMB to provide sense-and-warn capability to protect their deployed personnel from incoming threats and create superior situational awareness," said Micael Johansson, senior vice president and head of Saab's Electronic Defense Systems business area. "We are looking forward to a continued long relationship with the U.S. Department of State."

The program will involve both Saab's newly acquired subsidiary Saab Sensis, in Syracuse, N.Y., as well as Saab in Gothenburg, Sweden. Deliveries will take place during 2012 and 2013.

The Giraffe AMB is a multi-mission radar system that detects rocket and mortar attack threats while simultaneously conducting air surveillance and is used by the military forces of Sweden, France, Estonia, Great Britain and Australia.