Giraffe raises its head

Saab is showing its Giraffe 1X 3D short-range radar for the first time at Eurosatory. The system is one of a new family of Giraffe radars that was launched at the show two years ago, and is now fully developed and ready for production. The company is already in advanced discussions with customers.

With a total weight of less than 200kg, the Giraffe 1X is adaptable to a number of installations, from a vehicle-mounted mast to a simple tripod. There is also a maritime Sea Giraffe 1X version, for shipborne or coastal use. The Giraffe 1X has the ability to track more than 100 air targets and more than 200 on the surface.

In its land version, the radar is primarily intended as a mobile short-range air defence system that can be carried by a light 4x4 tactical vehicle, allowing it to travel with forces to provide protection against a range of air threats. It can be operated as a standalone system, or integrated into a wider network. Typically, the radar would work with VSHORAD systems such as Saab’s laser-guided RBS 70 NG missile.

Giraffe 1X employs a solid-state transmitter and slotted waveguide array. The antenna spins at 60rpm to provide a high refresh rate across the entire search volume, or can be operated in sector mode. The X-band radar’s 12 stacked beams provide simultaneous elevation coverage from the horizon to 70°.

With an instrumented range of 75km, Giraffe 1X can detect a typical fighter at 30km range at up to 10,000m altitude, and UAVs at 13km up to 4,000m. The radar also provides a CRAM (counter rockets and mortars) sense-and-warn function.

Advanced electronic counter-countermeasures and enhanced LSS (low, slow, small) target detection technology allows the radar to classify threat types. Saab (Hall 6, J353) is currently working on advanced signal processing techniques that can meet the challenge of differentiating birds from small UAVs.
DAVID DONALD/IHS Janes