Canada orders new radar for CP-140 surveillance aircraft

C-140 Aurora (Flickr/boegh)

March 25, 2014 By Richard Tomkins (UPI)

The Canadian Department of National Defense, which has ordered the upgrading of additional surveillance aircraft, has ordered new radar for the planes.

The Canadian Department of National Defense has contracted MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. to provide radar surveillance systems.

The eight systems to be provided under the $57 million contract will be for integration aboard CP-140 Aurora fleet, which Canada is upgrading.

MDA's said its surveillance system for theCP-140 provides high-resolution imaging capability to detect, locate, and classify, land and marine-based objects.

"Canada's DND and MDA have developed a successful working relationship based on quality, reliability and value,” said Don Osborne, an MDA vice president. “We are pleased to support DND with this repeat business and provide additional high-performance airborne radar surveillance systems.

"This contract underscores the global need for critical multi-mission intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities that aid in the detection of illegal or hostile activity in maritime approaches or remote regions."

The CP-140 Aurora is Canada's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance Aircraft. The Lockheed Martin aircraft is based on the P-3 Orion airframe. Canada currently operates a fleet of 14 updated Auroras but announced last week it is investing in four more modernized CP-140s.

Modernization will be conducted under existing competitively awarded industry contracts and will include new avionics and missions systems.