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Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, a global security company that provides
systems, products, and solutions to government and commercial customers
worldwide, presented its new AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar or G/ATOR
at a receiving ceremony on March 29, 2017 at Stoney Run in Baltimore, Maryland.
The ceremony included presentations by lead project managers from both Grumman
and the Marine Corps, a tour of the facility and a presentation of the G/ATOR
system.
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March 29, 2017 - The G/ATOR radar on display during a rollout
ceremony at Stoney Run in Baltimore, Maryland. The rollout ceremony showcases the new
G/ATOR radar that will replace 5 legacy systems. (U.S. Marine Corps
photo by Cpl. Erasmo Cortez III)
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It marks the day the Marine Corps takes possession of the first factory built
model of the G/ATOR System, according to Chief Warrant Officer 5 William Kelly,
a G/ATOR project officer.
“This system puts the Marine Corps, for the first time, above our sister
services in technology,” said Kelly.
G/ATOR is the first air cooled, mobile, Active Electronically Scanned Array
radar in the Marine Corps’ arsenal. In comparison to other AESA radars, which
use liquid cooling, the G/ATOR is lighter and more transportable.
The new G/ATOR system provides multi-faceted detection and tracking capabilities
to engage a wide range of hostile threats, as well as offering air traffic
control capabilities.
The system is replacing five existing Marine Corps single-mission radars known
as legacy systems and is capable of performing multi-mission tasks at lower
operation and maintenance costs.
“Not only is it easier to set up, in-place, displace, and move, but
mobility-wise it’s what the Marines are focusing on when they are employing this
system,” Kelly said. “It’s much more mission oriented compared to my legacy
systems. There’s just a huge difference with this, it puts us on the cutting
edge of technology.”
The G/ATOR is going to bring game changing capabilities as a sensor to the
entire Marine Air-Ground Task Force, said Col. Matthew Culbertson, from
Headquarters Marine Corps Department of Aviation.
“What it really provides us is a modern sensor, that has great agility, that we
can employ from the high end fight down to the Marine Expeditionary Unit level,
and when you combine this with everything else that the MAGTF is doing in order
to become a fifth generation MAGTF, it sort of brings it all together,”
Culbertson said.
Beginning as just a draft in the early 2000s, the G/ATOR was approved for
production in 2014 and began low-rate initial production in the first quarter of
fiscal year 2015. Taking 28 months to build just one unit, the Marine Corps
intend to field a total 45 units to support the Aviation Combat Element as well
as the artillery units with the Ground Combat Element.
“We are grateful to Northrop Grumman and their team for what they’ve done and
PEO (Program Executive Officer) Land Systems and their team in terms of fielding
this capability,” Culbertson said. “It takes a lot to bring it all together and
that’s not lost on Gen. Davis, the Deputy Commandant for Aviation, so he is very
grateful.”
The final operational capability, when the last unit is delivered, is scheduled
for early 2024.
By U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Annika Moody
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2017
The U.S. Marines
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