SMART-L

SMART-L

SMART-L onboard F221 Hessen a Sachsen class frigate
Country of origin	Netherlands
Manufacturer	Thales Nederland

F220 Hamburg of the German Navy with SMART-L radar

SMART-L (Signaal Multibeam Acquisition Radar for Tracking, L band ) ^[1] is a long-range naval search radar introduced in 2002 by Thales Nederland, formerly Hollandse Signaalapparaten (Signaal).

Design

The digital antenna array has 24 elements; all are used for reception, while 16 are used for creating virtual receiver beams through digital beamforming. The beams' vertical elevation, and compensation for ship movement, is done electronically. ^[1] Horizontal training is done by mechanically rotating the entire array.^{[ citation needed ]}

As designed, SMART-L has a maximum range of 400 km (220  nmi ) against patrol aircraft, and 65 km (35 nmi) against stealthy missiles. ^[2] A software upgrade, Extended Long Range (ELR) Mode, extends the maximum range for the detection of ballistic missiles to over 2000 km, ^[3] since 2018 all four Zeven Provincien class Frigates of the Royal Netherlands Navy have been equipped with the update. ^[4]

On the 25th of September 2017, as part of the exercise Formidable Shield 2017 the SMART-L MM radar system mounted on the test tower at the Thales premises in Hengelo, detected and tracked a ballistic missile launched from the Hebrides in Scotland at an average range of more than 1500 km without difficulties.^{[ citation needed ]} The Thales SMART-L Multi Mission radar in Hengelo detected the target as soon as it appeared over the horizon and maintained a stable track for more than 300 seconds. The track quality was sufficient to enable Launch On Remote by BMD-capable naval ships. ^[5]

Variants

• SMART-L
• SMART-L MM/N (Multi-mission, Naval)
• SMART-L MM/F (Multi-mission, Fixed)
• S1850M

Specifications

• Antenna system:
  • Dimensions; 8.4 × 4 × 4.4 m (28 × 13 × 14 ft), 7,800 kg (17,200 lb)
  • Number of antenna elements: 24 (16 transceivers, 8 receivers)
  • Number of beams formed: 16
  • Beamwidth 2.2° horizontal, 0–70° vertical
  • Polarization: vertical
  • Frequency: L band
  • Rotational speed: 12 rpm
  • IFF system integrated, D band
• Maximum detection ranges:
  • Stealth missiles: 65 km (35 nmi)
  • Patrol aircraft: 400 km (220 nmi)
  • Ballistic missiles:2000 km after software upgrade. ^{[6] [7]}
• Maximal numbers of tracked targets:
  • Airborne: 1000
  • Seaborne: 100

Users

Ship class / Air force use	Operator	Variant	Quantity	Notes
Land applications
Air Operations Control Station Nieuw-Milligen	Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force	SMART-L MM/F	1	[8] [9]
Radar station Herwijnen	Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force	SMART-L MM/F	1	[10] To be installed
Swedish Air Defence & Control - SLRR programme (särskilt långräckviddig radar)	Swedish Air Force	SMART-L MM/F	Unknown	[11] [12]
Land applications - sub-total			2
Naval applications
De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate	Royal Netherlands Navy	SMART-L MM/N	4	[13] [14]
Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship	Republic of Korea Navy	SMART-L	1	[15] The second ship of the class uses the EL/M-2248 MF-STAR.
Horizon-class frigate	French Navy	S1850M	2	[16] [17]
	Italian Navy		2
Horizon-class frigate - modernised	French Navy	SMART-L MM/N	2	[16]
	Italian Navy		2
Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate	Royal Danish Navy	SMART-L	3	[18] [19]
Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier	Royal Navy	S1850M	2	[20] [17]
Sachsen-class frigate	Deutsche Marine	SMART-L	3	[21] Being replaced by the Hensoldt TRS-4D/LR ROT.
Type 45 destroyer	Royal Navy	S1850M	6	[17]
Naval applications - sub-total			27
Total			29

See also

• Thales/BAE Systems Insyte S1850M, a SMART-L derivative.
• Selex RAN-40L

References

1. "SMART-L Radar". www.Radartutorial.eu. Retrieved 24 Oct 2011.
2. "SMART-L 3D Long range surveillance radar". Thales. Archived from the original on 2012-04-05. Retrieved 24 Oct 2011.
3. Jack Oosthoek (12 August 2016). "Amerika prijst Nederlandse 'raketoverste'". Materieelgezien (in Dutch). Defensie.nl.
4. "SMART-L MM". Thales Nederland. Retrieved 11 Mar 2018.
5. "SMART-L MM". Thales Nederland. Retrieved 11 Mar 2018.
6. "SMART-L For Smart Defense?" Archived 2013-10-20 at the Wayback Machine
7. Jack Oosthoek (19 December 2017). "SMART-radar 'nieuwe stijl' is binnen". Materieelgezien (in Dutch). Defensie.nl.
8. Defensie, Ministerie van (2022-09-22). "SMART-L-radar - Radarstations luchtgevechtsleiding - Defensie.nl". www.defensie.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-10-11.
9. "Netherlands: Nieuw Milligen radar station upgraded with Thales GM400α radar". 2024-08-02. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
10. "Netherlands to Deploy 2,000-Km Range Radar at Herwijnen after Environmental Approval". defensemirror.com. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
11. "FMV i miljardavtal med Thales om särskilt långräckviddig radar". www.nordicdefencesector.com. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
12. Saballa, Joe (2023-07-10). "Sweden Buys Thales SMART-L Special Long-Range Radar". The Defense Post. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
13. Defensie, Ministerie van (2023-06-22). "Luchtverdedigings- en commandofregat (LCF) - Materieel - Defensie.nl". www.defensie.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-10-11.
14. Ganta, Himaja (2021-06-01). "US Navy destroyer uses Thales' radar for SM-3 Launch on Remote test". Naval Technology. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
15. "Dokdo class LPH Landing Platform Helicopter Amphibious ROKN". www.seaforces.org. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
16. "Eurosam selects Thales radars for Horizon-class air defence frigates". 2023-09-18. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
17. "S1850M – Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance" . Retrieved 2025-10-11.
18. "Iver Huitfeldt class Guided Missile Frigate Royal Danish Navy". www.seaforces.org. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
19. Trevithick, Joseph (2024-04-02). "Danish Frigate Suffered Radar, Combat System, Gun Problems During Red Sea Ops: Reports". The War Zone. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
20. "S1850M Long Range Radar". www.baesystems.com. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
21. Manaranche, Martin (2021-08-24). "German Navy Upgrades Radar Systems On F124 Sachsen-class Frigates". Naval News. Retrieved 2025-10-11.

Further reading

• Jansen, Joris; Borsboom, Isabelle (November 2018). "Nieuwe radartechnologie essentieel voor raketverdedigingsmissies Koninklijke Marine" (PDF). Marineblad (in Dutch). Vol. 128, no. 7. pp. 19–22.
• Nina de Lange (15 April 2015). "Nieuwe fase voor SMART-L". Materieelgezien (in Dutch). Defensie.nl.
• Klaas Daane Bolier (13 November 2014). "Verdediging tegen ballistische raketten". Materieelgezien (in Dutch). Defensie.nl.