Lockheed Martin’s modern Telephonics RDR-1700B — an advanced radar system — was successfully integrated onto a 74K aerostat this week, expanding the capabilities of the unmanned aircraft.
That aerostat floats, tethered, over a vast array of terrains, utilizing wide-area communications and surveillance to notify military assets of potential threats. Lockheed Martin has specialized in lighter-than-air technology for more than 95 years, delivering superior intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems to several national agencies, as well as the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy.
“The integration of the Telephonics radar showcases our continued commitment to exploring the latest technologies as part of our aerostat systems,” Jerry Mamrol, vice president of Navigation, Surveillance and Unmanned Systems for Lockheed Martin, said. “It allows for multi-domain, modular and open architecture capabilities for faster, more cost-effective development efforts.”
The advantages of the new radar on an aerostat system include high operational capabilities, Lockheed Martin notes. It will now complement a product that has seen more than 1.6 million combat mission flight hours.