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The Australian-produced CEA phased array radar could gain its first international customer, with the UK expressing an interest in fitting this advanced capability to their warships.
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Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne welcomed this announcement, made by UK Under Secretary of State for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin during her visit to Adelaide on Friday.
A capability study to fit Canberra-based CEA Technologies CEAFAR radar to British ships will start early next year. The radar is already in service on Royal Australian Navy Anzac Class frigates.
This move followed the Australia/UK Defence Industry Dialogue in the UK last week, with the partnership seen as a vehicle for accelerating co-operation between the two nations.
Minister Pyne said this announcement was an important follow-up to last week’s dialogue and showed the continuing strengthening of defence industry ties between the two countries.
“Australia and the United Kingdom have much that can be gained from increasing co-operation around defence industry,” he said.
“A great outcome of last week’s dialogue, announced today, is the possibility of the cutting-edge Australian CEA radars being used for the future UK Warships.”
Minister Pyne said CEA Technologies designed and manufactured this advanced phased array radar for the eight Anzac Class Frigates as part of their Anti-Ship Missile Defence Upgrade Program and the recently announced Long Range Air Search Radar replacement.
The government has also stipulated that Future Frigates will also be fitted with the CEA radar.
“I’m excited by the possibility of sharing this great capability with one of our closest and oldest allies and the landmark export opportunity this presents for Australia’s burgeoning defence industry,” he said.
While in Australia, Under Secretary Baldwin also flew in an RAAF E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft and drove a Thales Bushmaster vehicle.
