Radar, IFF and datalink

Core competence meets innovative strength

Defence and non-defence radar systems have been part of the company’s core competences for decades. Today, HENSOLDT’s radar systems are in use around the world. In surveillance, reconnaissance, air defence and air traffic control, they reliably provide their services in both defence and non-defence areas.

Our radar portfolio covers different radar applications, ranging from long waves to millimetre waves, from short distance high precision measurement devices to long range air surveillance systems.

Crypto data-management system

The Crypto Data Management System (CDMS) provides the means to generate, distribute and load crypto data into interrogator and transponder crypto computers.

At the heart of the system is the Crypto Data Generation Station (CDGS) typically housed in a secure communication headquarters. The crypto data is distributed to the various bases by a Crypto Data Distribution System (CDDS) utilising a secure defence communication network.

The crypto data is received at the base’s crypto office in which is located a Transfer Device Programming Station (TDPS) enabling the crypto data to be transferred in a Crypto Data Transfer Device (CDTD) and loaded into the interrogator and transponder crypto computers. The CDMS contains a database with the state of all crypto computers registered on the system.

Ground-antenna positioning system

The GAPS-1000 forms a ground communication node of the DL-5000 data link system for unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

The GAPS comprises an Antenna Positioner (AP), the DL-5000 Ground Datalink Transceiver (GDT) in a housing, a 33 dBi directional antenna, an omni-directional antenna, interconnecting cables and mechanical brackets for holding the component parts together.

It provides azimuth and elevation positioning of the antenna system to maintain communication with the aircraft. Selection of either antenna is controlled by the UAS Ground Control System (GCS).

UAS antenna-positioning systems

The DL-5000 Monopulse Antenna Positioning System (MAPS) is a ground-based antenna solution used for line-of-sight long range communication with an aircraft fitted with HENSOLDT South Africa’s DL-5000 Airborne Data Transceiver (ADT). The system provides GPS independent dynamic positioning of the ground-based directional antenna for continuous communication.

The DL-5000 MAPS forms part of the datalink communication system that can be utilised on manned and unmanned aircraft. The key selling feature of this system is independence from traditional GPS-reliant positioning since the pointing vectors are obtained through signal processing from the monopulse antenna system.

The DL-5000 MAPS utilises azimuth steering to achieve accurate positioning and it relies on a Cosec2 antenna pattern for broad vertical beam-width to cater for most flight profiles.