Company type | Public |
---|---|
Industry | Defense, Electronic design, Radar, Communications, Coastal surveillance |
Founded | Canberra |
Founder | Ian Croser David Gaul |
Headquarters | Canberra |
Area served | Worldwide |
Products | phased array radar missile guidance integrated communications data-fusion antenna systems |
Number of employees | 600 (2023) |
Website | CEA Technologies |
CEA Technologies is an Australian defence contractor that primarily supplies the Royal Australian Navy. The company was established in 1983. [1] Its phase array radars, which are fitted to the Royal Australian Navy's fleet of warships, are regarded as the best in the world. [2]
CEA Technologies was established in 1983, founded by two retired Royal Australian Navy personnel, Ian Croser and David Gaul. Employing over 600 employees, it is Australia's largest majority owned defence company. CEA specialises in the design, development and manufacture of radar and communications systems for civil and military applications. [1] [3]
In 2016 Ian Croser was the inaugural recipient of the Australian Naval Institute McNeil Prize, presented to an individual from Australian industry who has made an outstanding contribution to the capabilities of the Royal Australian Navy. [4]
In April 2023, it was announced that the Australian government would be purchasing a majority stake in CEA Technologies. [5] The government stated that it was taking this step to ensure that the technology behind the radars CEA produces is controlled by Australia. It is intended that the government will not exercise direct control over the company, meaning that it will need to compete for business in Australia and be able to seek opportunities in the United States. [6] In October 2023 the government revealed that it had spent $A365 on the transaction and it will own a 72 percent stake in the company with the option to buy the remaining share. [7]
The head office of CEA Technologies is located in Fyshwick, Australian Capital Territory where the Organisation has a number of buildings, three of which are linked. Approximately one third of the staff are engineers, covering all necessary disciplines needed to design and develop leading edge radar and military grade communications products.
A skilled production group produce printed circuit board assemblies and mechanical assemblies in small to medium production runs. In addition to the administration and engineering offices and laboratories, the buildings house a small manufacturing and assembly facility, and an indoor antenna test facility. A mobile outdoor antenna test facility is used to support field testing and proving of radar and antenna systems.
CEA has facilities/offices in Adelaide, South Australia, Melbourne, Victoria, Perth, Western Australia, and San Diego, California. [8]
In 2011 CEA Technologies was selected to develop the CEAFAR Active Phased Array Radar and CEAMOUNT Active Phased Array Illuminator, as part of the Anti-Ship Missile Defense upgrade to the Anzac-class frigate. The program is listed as one of the Top 30 projects of the DoD's Defence Materiel Organisation. [9] [10] CEAFAR uses six square, fixed-face arrays installed in the ship's deckhouse. [11]
A land-based variant of CEAFAR, named Ground Based Multi-Mission Radar (GBMMR), uses six enlarged fixed-face AESA arrays mounted on a heavy truck. It was shown to operate with IRIS-T SL medium-range ground-based air defense system during its test launches in 2014. [12] It was subsequently offered for Egypt's purchase of IRIS-T SL systems, but lost to TRML-4D and TwinVis radars produced by Hensoldt.
Australian version of NASAMS ground-based air defense system, to be deployed by 2023, will include CEAFAR tactical (CEATAC) and CEAFAR operational (CEAOPS) radars, developed from maritime CEAFAR2 AESA radar program for the Hunter-class frigate. CEATAC includes four small fixed-face AESA arrays mounted on a Hawkei PMV light truck. CEAOPS is a scaled version with a large single-faced rotating AESA array and four small fixed-face arrays mounted on a HX77 heavy truck. [13] [14] [15] [16]
CEA has provided integrated communications systems to the Armidale class patrol boat. [17]
CEA originally supplied and now supports vessel traffic service systems to several sites around Australia, and internationally.
CEA also researches, develops, and manufactures missile fire-control systems, wideband antenna systems, maritime integrated communications systems, and Harbour and coastal surveillance systems. [18]
In antenna theory, a phased array usually means an electronically scanned array, a computer-controlled array of antennas which creates a beam of radio waves that can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the antennas. The general theory of an electromagnetic phased array also finds applications in ultrasonic and medical imaging application and in optics optical phased array.
The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, the primary such system used by the United States Army and several allied states. It is manufactured by the U.S. defense contractor Raytheon and derives its name from the radar component of the weapon system. The AN/MPQ-53 at the heart of the system is known as the "Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target," which is a backronym for "Patriot". In 1984, the Patriot system began to replace the Nike Hercules system as the U.S. Army's primary high to medium air defense (HIMAD) system and the MIM-23 Hawk system as the U.S. Army's medium tactical air defense system. In addition to these roles, Patriot has been given a function in the U.S. Army's anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system. As of 2016, the system is expected to stay fielded until at least 2040.
The Raytheon Company was a major U.S. defense contractor and industrial corporation with manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007. Raytheon was the world's largest producer of guided missiles. In April 2020, the Raytheon Company merged with United Technologies Corporation to form Raytheon Technologies, which changed its name to RTX Corporation in July 2023.
The IRIS-T is a medium range infrared homing air-to-air missile available in both air-to-air and ground defence surface-to-air variants. It also is called AIM-2000.
The SAMPSON is a multi-function dual-face active electronically scanned array radar produced by BAE Systems Maritime. It is the fire control radar component of the Sea Viper naval air defence system. The Sea Viper system is also known as PAAMS(S) to denote the use of the SAMPSON radar and to distinguish it from the PAAMS system on the Franco-Italian Horizon-class frigate.
An active electronically scanned array (AESA) is a type of phased array antenna, which is a computer-controlled antenna array in which the beam of radio waves can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the antenna. In the AESA, each antenna element is connected to a small solid-state transmit/receive module (TRM) under the control of a computer, which performs the functions of a transmitter and/or receiver for the antenna. This contrasts with a passive electronically scanned array (PESA), in which all the antenna elements are connected to a single transmitter and/or receiver through phase shifters under the control of the computer. AESA's main use is in radar, and these are known as active phased array radar (APAR).
The AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel is an X-band electronically steered pulse-Doppler 3D radar system used to alert and cue Short Range Air Defense (SHORAD) weapons to the locations of hostile targets approaching their front line forces. It is currently produced by Raytheon Missiles & Defense.
NASAMS is a distributed and networked short- to medium-range ground-based air defense system developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA) and Raytheon. The system defends against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), helicopters, cruise missiles, unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), and fixed wing aircraft, firing any of a wide range of existing missiles.
The AN/APG-79 is a type of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar that was developed for use on the United States Navy's Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Boeing EA-18G Growler aircraft. The radar's AESA technology provides quick updates on multiple targets, and its solid-state antenna construction makes it more reliable and cost-effective than traditional radar systems. The radar has a range of up to 150 km and can track multiple targets simultaneously. It is capable of firing weapons such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM's D model and guiding multiple missiles to targets located at varying distances and directions. As of July 2008, 100 APG-79 sets had been delivered to the United States Navy, and the Navy expects to order around 437 production radars. In January 2013, the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) disclosed some issues with the APG-79 radar during its initial operational testing, but upgrades have been made over time.
The Royal Australian Navy, although a significant force in the Asia-Pacific region, is nonetheless classed as a medium-sized navy. Its fleet is based around two main types of surface combatant, with limited global deployment and air power capability. However, in 2009, a white paper, Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030, was produced by the Australian government which set out a programme of defence spending that will see significant improvements to the RAN's fleet and capabilities.
A passive electronically scanned array (PESA), also known as passive phased array, is an antenna in which the beam of radio waves can be electronically steered to point in different directions, in which all the antenna elements are connected to a single transmitter and/or receiver. The largest use of phased arrays is in radars. Most phased array radars in the world are PESA. The civilian microwave landing system uses PESA transmit-only arrays.
The Bars (Leopard) is a family of Russian all-weather multimode airborne radars developed by the Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Design for multi-role combat aircraft such as the Su-27, Su-30 and the MiG-29.
The Airborne Surveillance Platform (ASP) is an Indian defence project initiated by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) with the aim to produce an Airborne Early Warning System. Two prototypes were developed and flight tested for three years. The project was cancelled in 1999 after the prototype aircraft crashed, killing eight scientists and the aircrew. After four years of inactivity, the project was revived in 2004 with a new platform and radar.
Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) is a laboratory of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), India. Located in C.V. Raman Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka, its primary function is research and development of radars and related technologies. It was founded by S. P. Chakravarti, the father of Electronics and Telecommunication engineering in India, who also founded DLRL and DRDL.
The Ground Master 400 (GM400) is a mobile long range radar system manufactured by Thales. GM400 is a fully digital active electronically scanned array long-range air defense 3D radar, offering detection from very high to very low altitudes. It tracks a wide range of targets from highly maneuverable tactical aircraft flying below several hundred feet to the unconventional small radar cross section devices, such as UAVs or cruise missiles.
The TRML is a family of air defense radars first developed by Telefunken and currently produced by Hensoldt. It is a development of the earlier TRMS.
The EL/M-2248 MF-STAR is a multifunction active electronically scanned array naval radar system developed by IAI Elta for maritime installation on warships. It is capable of tracking both air and surface targets and providing fire control guidance. MF-STAR is an acronym of Multi-Function Surveillance, Track And Guidance Radar.
Eglin AFB Site C-6 is a United States Space Force radar station which houses the AN/FPS-85 phased array radar, associated computer processing system(s), and radar control equipment designed and constructed for the U. S. Air Force by the Bendix Communications Division, Bendix Corporation. Commencing operations in 1969, the AN/FPS-85 was the first large phased array radar. The entire radar/computer system is located at a receiver/transmitter building and is supported by the site's power plant, fire station, 2 water wells, and other infrastructure for the system. As part of the US Space Force's Space Surveillance Network its mission is to detect and track spacecraft and other manmade objects in Earth orbit for the Combined Space Operations Center satellite catalogue. With a peak radiated power of 32 megawatts the Space Force claims it is the most powerful radar in the world, and can track a basketball-sized object up to 22,000 nautical miles (41,000 km) from Earth.
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Aselsan EIRS (Early Warning RADAR System) is a new generation S-Band radar, developed for long range early warning purposes, with AESA and digital beamforming antenna architecture. The system developed by Turkish company Aselsan. In addition to air-breathing air targets, EIRS also has the ability to detect and track Ballistic Missiles and targets with stealth technology / low RKA from long range.