Airbus Defense and Space together with the North American operating unit of Airbus Group was named the 2013 Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Supplier of the Year by Lockheed Martin (LM).
The Airbus Group team supported the TRS-3D multi-mode radar, developed by the Airbus Defence and Space Electronics Business Line, during the deployment of the LCS USS Freedom to Southeast Asia, post-delivery trials of the LCS USS Fort Worth and radar deliveries for forthcoming LCS deliveries.
The Naval Radar Program at Airbus Defense and Space has delivered six of its TRS-3D multi-mode, naval surveillance and target acquisition radar systems, designated AN/SPS-75 by the U.S. Navy, to the Littoral Combat Ships Class of the U.S. Navy.
In presenting the award, Shaun McGraw, senior manager LCS subcontracts for Lockheed Martin's Littoral Ship Systems, said the Airbus Group team had “achieved 100% on-time deliveries with zero defects, proactively worked with Lockheed Martin and Marinette Marine Corporation, and embraced collaboration to resolve issues. Their commitment to on-time delivery and proactive issue resolution was a key to Team Freedom’s overall success,” said McGraw.
“Preserving maritime security, particularly of coastal areas, demands highly capable sensors to ensure situational awareness at any time,” explains Rolf Wirtz, Head of Sensors and Electronic Warfare at Airbus Defense and Space Electronics. “Our TRS-3D radar has proven in service that it is the right answer to these complex demands.”
The TRS-3D is a three-dimensional multimode naval radar for surveillance, self-defense, gunfire support, and helicopter control. It is used for automatically locating and tracking all types of air and sea targets. Due to the latest signal processing technologies, the TRS-3D is particularly suited for the early detection of small, fast moving objects, such as speed boats.
Littoral combat ships are fast, agile surface combatants optimized for operating in the highly trafficked near-shore regions of the world against asymmetric "anti-access" threats. Through its innovative design, LCS can be reconfigured for surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and mine countermeasures. Current plans encompass the procurement of up to 52 ships by the U.S. Navy.
Airbus Defense and Space is a division of Airbus Group formed by combining the business activities of Cassidian, Astrium and Airbus Military. The new division is Europe’s number one defence and space enterprise, the second largest space business worldwide and among the top ten global defence enterprises.
