RBE2#Further development
{{Short description|Type of radar system}}
The RBE2 (Radar à Balayage Electronique 2 plans) is a multirole radar developed during the 1990s for the Dassault Rafale, a French combat aircraft. The original RBE2 is a passive electronically scanned array. This has since been developed into the RBE2-AA, an active electronically scanned array.
Development
Development of the RBE2 began in 1989 as a joint project between Thomson-CSF's RCM division and Dassault Electronique which merged in 1998 to form Thomson-CSF Detexis.Osborn, Graeme (June 9, 1999). RBE2 Radar Gets Ahead. Flight International. Development was continued by Thomson-CSF's successor company, Thales Group.(June, 2002) Europe targets cockpits, sensors. Aerospace America.
The RBE2 is a passive electronically scanned array (PESA), an electronically scanned radar with a single transmitter. Flight trials of the RBE2 began in 1992 and the first production radar was delivered in May 1997.{{Cite journal|last=Streetly|first=Martin|date=September 1992|title=Rafale radar begins flight trials|journal=Microwave Journal|volume=35|pages=49}}{{Cite news|date=6 May 1997|title=Premier Radar Serie Du Rafale|language=French|work=Sud Ouest}}
In April 2002, the French defence procurement agency, Délégation Générale pour l'Armement (DGA), awarded Thales Group a contract to develop an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar demonstrator based on the RBE2 radar. The resulting RBE2-AA (active array) variant has been tested on a Mirage 2000 testbed aircraft from the Flight Test Center of the DGA and then on a Rafale. While the first tests were made with US-made transmitter-receivers, the current radar features parts manufactured by Thales. The radar uses about 838 GaAs T/R modules.
In July 2004, DGA awarded a 90 million-euro contract for the development of a second a AESA radar demonstrator. Production of the RBE2-AA commenced in 2008 and entered service in 2013.(November 4, 2008). Flying the flag for Rafale. Flight International.{{Cite web|last=Lake|first=Jon|title=Latest Standard Rafale Gains Clearance; First Indian Aircraft Flies|url=https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2018-11-18/latest-standard-rafale-gains-clearance-first-indian-aircraft-flies|access-date=2021-04-09|website=Aviation International News|language=en}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/active-electronically-scanned-array-aesa-rbe2-radar Thales Group: Active Electronically Scanned Array - AESA RBE2 radar]
Category:Military radars of France
{{mil-aviation-stub}}
{{radio-comm-stub}}