Following the success of the production and marketing of the Ground Master 200 (GM200) reconnaissance radar, Thales has developed a newer and more modern variant, the GM200 Multi Mission All-in-one (GM200 MM/A).
Even though in appearance and design it is no different from the initial GM200 variant, the GM200 MM/A has greater accuracy and is more adaptive for detecting targets with small targets, such as mini/micro drones.
In particular, Thales will show a demo of the GM200 MM/A at the Paris AirShow 2023 (19 – 25 June) in Le Bourget, France. What Thales has just embedded in the GM200 MM/A is the use of a dual axis multi-beam S-band multi-mission AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar.
The AESA radar on the GM200 MM/A has a detection range of up to 350 km with an antenna rotation speed of between 1.5 and 3 seconds. With an antenna elevation of 70 degrees, the AESA radar on the GM200 MM/A is capable of detecting targets at an altitude of 100.00 feet (30,480 km).
Called the all-in-one package, the entire GM200 MM/A solution includes operation by a crew of two, a 24-hour autonomy power generator and an 8 meter high (folding) antenna mast.
With the adoption of the latest features, the role of the GM200 MM/A is not limited to Ground Base Air Defense (GBAD) systems, but also includes the detection function of rocket, artillery and mortar (RAM). Thales claims the threat detection spectrum will be wider in a single scan, covering drone, helicopter and cruise missile detection.
Building on the success of the Ground Master 200 (GM200), the GM200 MM/A is designed to increase the performance of the GM200 by up to 40 percent. It is equipped with Thales 4D AESA technology (also found on GM200 MM/C, NS50, NS100, NS200, SM400, SMART-L MM, Ground Fire, Sea Fire) which provides unrestricted multi-beam steering flexibility in height and bearing.
Thales Offers Upgrade Package
In a presentation at the Thales research and development center in Ymare, France, Thales said it would offer an upgrade package to GM200 user countries. Thales said that there would not be much need for an upgrade from GM200 to GM200 MM/A, the upgrade package would emphasize the adoption of the AESA radar type.
Indonesia is also known to be a user of the GM200 radar, in which the GM200 is attached to the Indonesian Army's ForceShield Arhanud system, namely as a reconnaissance radar on the Starstreak missile system. That way, there is a possibility that in the future the GM200 TNI AD will be upgraded to GM200 MM/A.
The GM 200 is boarded in the form of a 20-foot container (6 meters long) on an 8×8 – High Mobility Cargo Transporter (HMCT) truck. The GM200 system can be deployed at one point in 15 minutes, while this radar system can be moved or shifted in less than 10 minutes.
