The Irish Defence Forces will get at least three new primary search radars after Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform confirmed that part of the defence budget has been allocated for such a purchase.
A €1.174 billion will be allocated to the Defence Group– an increase of €67 million on the 2022 amount.
Ireland has decided to transform its national guard forces into military forces. The country is therefore investing in every military aspect. The need for primary search radars was no exception. The demand was highlighted in a report by the Commission on the Defence Forces (CODF) in February of this year. The country is looking for a radar equivalent to Lockheed Martin’s TPY-4 capability.
Ireland currently relies on secondary radars, which will not function if the aircraft does not have a transponder. The new radar project aims to protect Irish skies from intrusion. The system that would cost €300 million radar would detect jets and drones at a range of altitudes.
The Irish Defence Forces will get at least three new primary search radars after Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform confirmed that part of the defence budget has been allocated for such a purchase. The radar must have a range of at least 200 nautical miles to perform a standard search function.
Lockheed Martin’s TPY-4 covers up to 300 nautical miles (555kms) in standard operations, but it can focus on a specific target as far out as 540 nautical miles (1,000kms).
