Norway to Acquire Raytheon Radars For Improved Air Traffic Surveillance

Raytheon, HARLOW, England: Raytheon Systems Limited, RSL, has been contracted to supply ten Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) systems to Avinor A/S, Norway's air navigation service provider. One of these systems will be co-located with a Primary Surveillance Radar, PSR, provided by RSL's sister company Raytheon Canada Limited. The contract also provides options for a further five MSSR systems plus two additional S-Band PSRs. 
 
The multi million pound programme is known as NORAP (NOrwegian RAdar Programme), which will increase radar surveillance coverage to Norway's existing infrastructure. It calls for two of the systems to be mounted offshore – one on Ekofisk (a fixed oil platform), and one on Heidrun – a tethered leg platform (TLP). 
 
These two sensors, along with another on a shore site near Stavanger, are required to provide radar coverage for offshore oil support helicopters. Data from offshore will also be sent to land for use by en route controllers, thus providing long range high level cover. 
 
The remaining sensors will provide improved radar coverage throughout Norway. 
 
Alastair Blair, RSL's Director of Air Traffic Management Systems, said, “This is a significant contract and draws on RSL's considerable global experience in Air Traffic Management Systems in general and in MSSRs in particular. It will also employ our expertise in installing radars in challenging locations. Oil platforms are particularly demanding environments and RSL is believed to have the only oil platform reference in the world.” 
 
He went on to explain, “In the case of the oil platform installations, the radars will have to accommodate many reflecting surfaces such as cranes, drilling tower, metal structures, neighbouring platforms, walkways and the sea, without any compromise in performance. In addition a TLP is floating and therefore moving constantly, presenting an even greater challenge, with the need to compensate for the platform movement.” 
 
Raytheon's association with Avinor dates from 1991 when the original radar contract was signed in Norway with Luftfartsverket, as the Authority was known at that time. In the period up to 1999, RSL supplied a total of 13 MSSR systems to Luftfartsverket. In 1994 RSL supplied an MSSR system to Gullfaks C, an offshore oil platform, under contract to Statoil, the Norwegian oil company. The Gullfaks system passed its Site Acceptance Test at the first attempt, despite formidable technical challenges, and has operated reliably ever since, supplying radar data to both Stavanger and Aberdeen. It is believed to be the only MSSR installation installed on an offshore oil platform anywhere in the world. 
 
The latest contract is due for completion by 2012.  
 
Raytheon Systems Limited is the UK-based subsidiary of Raytheon Company. It is a prime contractor and major supplier to the UK Ministry of Defence and is involved in numerous, high priority programmes for the US Department of Defense. RSL designs, develops and manufactures a range of high technology defence and commercial electronic systems at its facilities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.