An Cosantóir

| 33 www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 33 www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE Giraffe Mk4 Radar Radar Type Pulsed doppler surveillance radar with digital signal processing Range 1.2 to 50km Power supply 3x115/200V 400Hz 24vDC Freq Band G Band Automatic Capture up to 20 targets Automatic designation up to 20 targets Can control up to 20 RBS70 fire units at any one time IFF capability Yes Communications SINCGAR (Voice) and Kongsberg MRR (data) BV206 Vehicle Length 7m Width 1.9m Weight 6210kg Height (mast lowered) 2.9m Height (mast extended) 6.7m Fuel Tanks 2x80litres The NDLO has also provided Estonia and Brazil with similar Giraffe Mk4 Radars. The unit's current Giraffe Mk2 Radar Combat leaders and RBS70 Missile Detachment Commanders are now undergoing training on the new radars and vehicles with ten drivers already qualified on the Bv206. Instruction and testing has taken place in the Curragh Camp and in the spe- cially designed all-terrain driving course in Coolmoney Camp, Glen of Imaal. Three Combat Leaders have already completed a conversion course on the Giraffe Mk4 Radar with the Norwegian Army in February/March 2009 and recently a number of RBS70 Detachment Commanders completed a conver- sion/refresher course. It is envisaged that by the end of 2009, the majority of the unit personnel will be retrained and the Giraffe Mk4 Radars will be fully integrated into the unit. NEW EQUIPMENT This new radar has an identify Friend or Foe (IFF) capability, which allows the gunner to distinguish, between Air Corps and Civilian Aircraft once the rele- vant IFF codes are input. The Command, Control and Communications (C3) functions with this system are also more advanced and this allows the Combat Leader greater flexibility, control and management of the fire units (RBS70 Missiles) under his/her control. Radar training is ongoing with a series of air defence exercise already conducted around the Curragh Camp and Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel. The radar can detect up to 20 targets out to 50km range and the crew can control 20 RBS70 fire units in engaging the incoming targets. The feedback from everyone who has trained on the new radar has been very positive. The arrival of the new equipment has given the unit gunners a lift and all are eager to train with the system. Training will be key as the equipment is sophisticated and this will require skill sets that are regularly honed. Equally important is the Bv206, a tracked-articulat- ed vehicle, which drivers have found easy to operate. The Bv206 was first developed by Hägglunds (now part of BAE Land Systems) for the Swedish Army and it entered service in the early-80s. It was initially designed to carry troops and equip- ment through snow and boglands and the vehicles low ground pressure enables it to cope with a wide range of difficult conditions, tackling steep inclines/declines and it is fully amphibious. The RBS70 Missile System, which is controlled by the Giraffe Mk4 Radar crew, is a short range, portable, laser-guided Surface to Air Missile. The gunner receives instructions on the position of the target from a local combat control terminal and when the tar- get is acquired, he turns off the safety, which switches on the main laser and sends out an IFF signal. After the missile is fired, it flies in the beam of the laser to the target, adjusting its position constantly to stay within the beam. To hit the target, the gunner must keep the laser beam on target. The missile can engage targets out to 5,000m (horizontal) and up to an altitude of 4,000m. This recent investment in vehicles, radars, missiles and training will certainly keep the gunners of the 1 Air Def Regt busy over the coming months and will allow them to continue to carry out their primary mis- sion in protecting the skies over vital military/civilian installations around Ireland.■ When in operation, the vehicle is station- ary and the rear com- partment has four extendable legs that give the crew a stable platform to raise the radar mast to a height of 6.7m. 00-An Cos-MAY-09 (p8-18) 13/05/2009 16:02 Page 15

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