Leonardo, at his Luton site in the United Kingdom, demonstrated the capabilities of a new radar warning technology (radar receiver / warner technology) as part of the ongoing development activities for the Tempest, the program for a new generation combat air system that will see United Kingdom, Italy and Sweden collaborate for the project. During a demonstration in the laboratory, dedicated to the British Ministry of Defense and the other partners of Team Tempest, the new sensor showed a detection capacity four times higher than those of a traditional "warning / receiver" radar, despite being of ten times smaller than a standard system.
Leonardo UK is one of four Tempest Team companies that, under the aegis of the British Ministry of Defense, is developing a state-of-the-art combat air system for the United Kingdom and partner countries. The activities started in 2018; subsequently Italy and Sweden announced their intention to join the project.
Leonardo's role is to develop the Tempest sensors and integrate it into the platform's mission system. The company is already working on the realization of some of the advanced technologies of the new program, in line with the roadmap that foresees the entry into service of the first aircraft with the Royal Air Force in 2035.
One of the areas of development, which has been at the center of the demonstration, is the aircraft's radar warning capability. This technology is used to detect radio frequency (RF) signals emitted by potentially hostile radars, using this information for a variety of uses, including the operator alert in case an enemy is trying to "hook" the aircraft.
These sensors can also support intelligence and identification functions. In perspective, enemy radars could use a range of software technologies and techniques to make it more difficult to identify their signals. This means that the Tempest sensors will have to be able to counteract these techniques and be flexible enough to be updated in step with emerging threats.
The reduction in the weight and size of Leonardo's new radar warning technology, as well as the reduced energy consumption, will make it possible to integrate the sensor into a multifunctional system. This is one of the innovations designed for the Tempest, which could see a series of multi-purpose sensors distributed around the aircraft - capable of simultaneously detecting and monitoring enemy planes, missiles and other threats coming from all directions - fully integrated with the front radar.