SAF gets new battlefield radars
By David Boey
THE Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has acquired battlefield radars
called Arthur to help it detect enemy artillery shells, mortar
bombs and rockets.
The radar, mounted on a BV-206 vehicle, can detect shells 40km
away, says Capt Soh (above). -- DAVID BOEY
The Swedish-made radar's name stands for ARTillery HUnting
Radar.
The new radars - about the size of a ping pong table - were put
into operation early last year. One radar will go on show for the
first time at this weekend's Army Open House at the Safti Military
Institute in Jurong.
Arthur is mounted on top of a BV-206 all-terrain tracked vehicle
for greater mobility. It joins existing weapon locating radars like
the United States-made Firefinders and thus reinforces the combat
capability of the 24th Battalion Singapore Artillery (24 SA) in
finding targets for the Army's big guns.
The new radars can also tell SAF gunners if their shells are on
target and advise them to adjust their firing, if necessary.
Weapons engineers at the Defence Science and Technology Agency
(DSTA) have made improvements to the radar system, like adding
air-conditioning to the operator's cabin under the radar.
Apart from creature comforts, DSTA division manager Teo Chee Wah
said efforts were made 'to integrate the Arthur system into the
SAF's sensor-to-shooter network' so that gunners can find, fix and
finish targets rapidly.
Captain Patrick Soh, a radar commander with 24 SA, said yesterday
that Arthur can go into action with a crew of 11 gunners in five
minutes.
In comparison, it takes 18 gunners some 30 minutes to set up the
unit's older Firefinder radars. What is more, three separate
vehicles support each Firefinder radar, which is towed behind a
truck.
Also, the Arthur can detect shells or rockets some 40km away - the
distance from Changi to Tuas.
Arthur will force any enemy mobile artillery system that uses
'shoot-and-scoot' tactics, to 'redeploy constantly so that they
become ineffective', added Capt Soh.
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is this purchase meant to counter the MAF's ASTROS systems?
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