Raytheon Sentinel
- United States United States
- Canada Canada
- Raytheon Company
- Bombardier Aerospace
The Raytheon Sentinel R1 is a reconnaissance aircraft of the Royal Air Force, that has been specifically designed and built for battlefield surveillance in Afghanistan. The task of the Sentinel is (eg tanks ) track small moving land targets and track.
The first machine was handed over to the 5th Squadron at Waddington in June 2007. Since the beginning of 2009, all five ordered systems are operational, however, should already be retired after the end of the Afghanistan mission. Raytheon used as the starting model for the Sentinel R1, the Bombardier Global Express.
- 2.1 Construction
- 2.2 radar
- 2.3 defense measures
- 2.4 Ground Station
History
Development
The contract for the ASTOR ( Airborne Stand-Off Radar ) has been issued by the British government in December 1999 at Raytheon Systems Ltd. On the basis of Raytheon ASARS -2 radar system, an airborne battlefield radar has been developed that can be used by the British navy and the army. The first provided for retrofitting machine was delivered in February 2002 at Raytheon. The first flight of the first Sentinel R1 in May 2004. Besides Raytheon, other suppliers are involved in the overall system. Bombardier provides the basic aircraft, L- 3 Communications, the ground stations, Lucas electrical equipment, Messier Dowty, the landing gear, Agusta Westland, the doors and finally Rolls- Royce engines.
The end of 2008 was the machine, with two years' delay, officially put into service and has since remained in Afghanistan. The cost of the system amounts to including ground station at about one billion euros.
After withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan, the machine should already be made again out of service under the new Government White Paper.
Use
The data obtained are shown in the use of team Aircraft and can be transmitted through various reliable connections with ground stations. It enables real-time analysis of the data by ground troops.
Technology
Construction
The aircraft is an upgraded Bombardier Global Express, which is controlled by two pilots. Externally visible are various radomes and additional stabilizing surfaces at the stern. The interior consists of operator consoles and is designed for a mission life of 14 hours. The machine flies typically used in a height of 15 miles and can travel up to 12,000 km. She is powered by two twin-shaft Rolls-Royce BR710 engines, each with 76 kN thrust.
Radar
The radar is an evolution of ASARS -2- page view radar, which was also used in the U -2. It provides weather -independent, high -resolution data from up to 160 km away and makes use of a synthetic aperture radar antenna by BAE SYSTEMS. The system can automatically identify and track moving targets.
The individual scan stripes can be strung together to form an overall situation and then provide a photo -like image of the combat zone.
Defense measures
The defenses of the Sentinel R1 are essentially based on advancement of the devices, which are also used in the British Aerospace Nimrod, the missile warning system, a towed Radartäuschkörper, radar warning receiver, chaff and IR Störkörperwerfer. The facilities are summarized in the DAG ( Defensive Aids Group), which is derived from BAE and Nashua.
Ground station
Developed for the Sentinel R1 system ground stations allow data viewing in real time and can also receive and evaluate data from U-2 and Boeing E -8 Joint -STARS aircraft. You are on all-wheel drive Steyr Pinzgauer truck.