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| AN/SPY-7 | |
|---|---|
| Name | AN/SPY-7 |
| Country | Canada |
| Designer | Kongsberg Gruppen / Lockheed Martin |
| Introduced | 2010s |
| Type | Active Electronically Scanned Array radar |
| Frequency | S-band |
| Range | long-range |
| Platforms | Naval, land-based, frigate, destroyer |
AN/SPY-7 is a family of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars developed for maritime and land-based air and missile defense. The system was developed through industrial cooperation among Kongsberg Gruppen, Lockheed Martin, and national procurement programs in Canada, Japan, and Australia. It is intended to replace legacy radar families such as AN/SPY-1 and to integrate with combat systems like Aegis Combat System and national command networks such as NORAD-equivalent architectures.
The design traces to industry initiatives by Kongsberg Gruppen and Lockheed Martin responding to requirements from procurement agencies including Defence Research and Development Canada, Japan Ministry of Defense, and Australian Department of Defence. Development incorporated research from institutions like Defence Research and Development Canada, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, and collaborations with prime contractors such as Raytheon Technologies and Thales Group. The modular radar uses gallium nitride (GaN) transmit/receive modules inspired by semiconductor advances at Texas Instruments and Cree Inc. and leverages systems engineering practices from Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Design reviews involved testing ranges such as Atlantic Test Range and integration studies with combat management suites such as Aegis Combat System and SPY-6 program comparisons with Lockheed Martin's internal assessments.
The radar operates in the S-band frequency range and employs AESA technology similar in concept to arrays developed by MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Delft University of Technology collaborations, and research at Naval Research Laboratory. It uses scalable planar fixed-face panels akin to modular arrays found on Hughes Aircraft Company programs and employs digital beamforming techniques analogous to developments at DARPA and Office of Naval Research. The architecture features distributed processing based on computing approaches from Intel Corporation and NVIDIA Corporation for real-time signal processing, and uses cooling and power-electronics solutions influenced by work at General Electric and Siemens AG. The system supports track-while-scan and multi-mission modes, integrating with combat systems similar to those from Lockheed Martin, Thales Group, and MBDA.
Variants include shipboard fixed-face arrays for frigates and destroyers, and land-based mobile or fixed-site installations for theater ballistic missile defense. Configurations were proposed for Royal Canadian Navy frigates, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers, and Royal Australian Navy vessels; each configuration was assessed against alternatives such as AN/SPY-6 and SAMPSON radar. The modularity allows scaling from single-face installations similar to designs by Saab AB to large multi-face arrays used by United States Navy surface combatants. Proposed integration pathways included coupling with command platforms like Aegis Ashore and national programs administered by agencies such as NATO procurement cells.
Early demonstrations occurred during trials in the 2010s and 2020s with sea trials and land trials coordinated with agencies including Defence Research and Development Canada and shipbuilders like Fincantieri and Babcock International. The radar entered procurement selection processes in competitions involving shipbuilding programs such as the Canadian Surface Combatant program, the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries platforms for Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the Hunter-class frigate program for Australia. Trials included interoperability testing with combat management systems from Lockheed Martin, Thales Group, and BAE Systems Maritime and tests alongside missile interceptors provided by Raytheon and MBDA.
Defense ministries of Canada, Japan, and Australia have been principal participants in procurement discussions and selections. Contracts and memoranda of understanding involved national shipyards such as Seaspan and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and prime contractors like Lockheed Martin and Kongsberg Gruppen. Procurement competitions ranged against other radar suppliers from Raytheon Technologies and Thales Group and were influenced by strategic partnerships with nations including United States, United Kingdom, and Norway. Export controls and industrial participation clauses were negotiated with agencies like Global Affairs Canada and procurement authorities in Japan Ministry of Defense and Australian Defence Force.
Integration work addressed installation aboard new-construction frigates and retrofits for destroyer classes built by shipbuilders such as Bath Iron Works, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Navantia. Combat system integration targeted interfaces with Aegis Combat System, combat management systems produced by Thales Group, and national C4ISR networks maintained by organizations like NATO and regional partners. Platform installations required cooperation with systems integrators such as BAE Systems and General Dynamics and compatibility testing with missile systems from Raytheon (e.g., Standard Missile family) and MBDA interceptors.
Testing programs examined detection, tracking, and discrimination performance against targets including cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, evaluated in scenarios similar to exercises like RIMPAC and trials used by Missile Defense Agency frameworks. Measurements assessed metrics comparable to those reported for AN/SPY-6 and SAMPSON radar including sensitivity, false-alarm rate, and track capacity. Testbeds leveraged instrumentation from NASA test facilities and simulation tools developed with partners such as Lockheed Martin and research agencies like Defence Research and Development Canada to validate multi-mission performance and networked engagement capabilities.
Category:Naval radars