Saab To Market Land-based Giraffe 1X Radar In US Markets

Saab has launched its land-based Giraffe 1X radar in the United States market.

The radar system offers advanced capabilities against small targets and the capacity to address multiple threat types. It will address the emerging requirements of the manoeuvre force.

Saab also plans to transfer Giraffe 1X intellectual property to Saab Defense and Security USA, its U.S.-based subsidiary, with the intention of meeting U.S. market needs efficiently, effectively and securely, the company said in a statement Monday.

"We have already shown a unique ability to deliver our products into sensitive programs, such as the AN/SPS-77 on the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship Program," said Erik Smith, head of Saab Defense and Security USA.

The decision to transfer the technology was made to address U.S. security and information assurance requirements, facilitate U.S. sourcing of components, and, in the long term, create more U.S. jobs.

Saab has invested significant private research and development funding into Giraffe 1X, which offers short-range air defense, sense-and-warn capabilities, and counter-UAS (unmanned aerial systems) and counter-RAM (rocket, artillery and mortar) functions.

According to Smith, the Giraffe 1X addresses a growing need among U.S. ground troops.

"Opposition capabilities are increasing, which means U.S. ground troops need a reliable, accurate system that can detect, track and classify multiple threat types," explained Smith. "Giraffe 1X meets that requirement."

The Giraffe 1X is mountable on vehicles, vessels and fixed installations, such as a building or a mast. Its compact, mobile design leverages commercial components in an open-architecture solution built on Saab's Giraffe family of radars. This product group includes the Giraffe AMB, which has been used in Iraq to protect U.S. personnel against RAM threats since 2008.