BANGKOK, Thailand, Aug. 31, 2000 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Royal Thai Air Force has declared Phase III of the Royal Thai Air Defense System (RTADS) fully operational, which includes a turnkey air defense system for Southern Thailand provided by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC). This milestone is the final step in the completion of Thailand's $180 million integrated air defense system for the country's southern region.
The Northrop Grumman-supplied equipment includes a state-of-the-art automated sector operations center to coordinate air defense activities in central and southern Thailand and to backup the national air operations center (AOC). It also includes several AN/FPS-130X long-range radars for enhanced coverage in Southern Thailand.
The project includes a communications network of more than 1,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable, 600 kilometers of microwave and over 100 radios, all integrated with satellite communications to link every system element. Additionally, Northrop Grumman provided several modern facilities, consisting of both new buildings and modifications to existing structures.
Northrop Grumman's Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector (ES3), the prime contractor for the system, also upgraded Thailand's current AOC located near Bangkok with the latest display and automated processing systems and provided complete systems integration and training.
"With completion of this project, the Royal Thai Air Force now has one of the most modern air defense systems in the world," said Donald Wilhelm, ES3 vice president-Airspace Management Systems. "Thailand will benefit by having a fully integrated and interoperable sensor, communication and operations system to support the critical missions for air defense."
Northrop Grumman has supplied a broad range of customer-tailored air defense systems as well as fixed-site and tactical military radars and air traffic control systems to more than 60 countries and has installed more than 850 ground-based military and air traffic control radar systems worldwide. In addition, its wholly-owned United Kingdom subsidiary, Park Air Electronics, has installed air defense and air traffic control communications equipment in more than 140 countries.
Northrop Grumman's ES3, headquartered in Baltimore, Md., designs, develops and manufactures defense electronics and systems, precision weapons, airspace management systems, marine systems, space systems, and automation and information systems.
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