MEADS International has announced that the integration testing for the 360-degree Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) Multifunction Fire Control Radar (MFCR) has commenced at the test range in Pratica di Mare Air Force Base in Italy.
MEADS INTERNATIONAL INTEGRATION TESTING The Transceiver Group for MFCR #1 is shown in testing at a near-field facility in Rome. The completed MFCR has arrived at Pratica di Mare Air Force Base in Italy for MEADS system integration testing. (PRNewsFoto/MEADS International)
The system-level integration tests will be performed with a MEADS battle manager and launcher, and the advanced 360-degree rotating X-band MFCR. An intercept flight test has been planned for the latter part of 2012 and the present testing is in preparation for that test. The initial performance tests of the advanced X-band MFCR were performed at the SELEX Sistemi Integrati SpA’s near-field facility in Rome. In November 2011, at the White Sands Missile Range in N.M., the initial MEADS flight tests were conducted.
The X-band MFCR is a phased array, solid-state radar that uses element-level transmission and reception modules. It has wideband discrimination, classification and precision tracking abilities. The radar can be deployed rapidly and can function alone, as the MEADS MFCR has fire control and surveillance capabilities. The main beam of the MFCR is used for both downlink and uplink missile communications. The MFCR features plug-and-fight capability and can be connected to the MEADS network as a node. Further, sensors and shooters can be added on to the system through the MEADS battle manager. In order to improve the identification of non-cooperative threats, the MFCR has a Mode 5 identify friend-or-foe subsystem.
As part of the integration test, the 360-degree target acquisition and tracking abilities of the MFCR will be demonstrated using non-military aircraft and flight tests. The combined system is a cost-effective solution having a wider coverage. It has C-130 transportability and high mobility.