VARIANT Danish 2D Surveillance and Target Indication Radar

Variant is Thales Naval Nederland's latest 2D surveillance and target indication radar. Its principal role is as an automatic, fast reaction time radar sensor supplying targeting data to weapon systems. Targeting data is supplied for both air and surface targets simultaneously. Variant is a dual-band radar, utilising both the I- and G-Bands. Fully coherent, Variant provides pulse doppler operation for optimal clutter suppression and air target detection. Automatic “Hands off” target detection and tracking is provided by Thales Naval Nederland's modular digital processing. Outstanding ECM facilities are provided by the ability to operate over two frequency bands, an octave apart, and an integral Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) radar sensor. This LPI sensor can be used alone, thus providing Variant the unusual ability to operate in a mode that is almost undetectable to external ESM. Variant's low power consumption, lightweight construction and compact design, make the system well suited for use in fast patrol boats and other small ships. Variant is based on a double pill-box antenna, having a horizontal beamwidth of 1.8° and a vertical beamwidth of 14°. The transmitter is a Traveling Wave Tube with an average power of 200 W. Processing is based on digital pulse compression, Fast Fourier Transform processing, plot processing and automatic tracking. Detection range against a typical air target is given as about 30 km in G-Band and 28 km in I-Band. The Variant radar system supplies the following principal functions: *Surface target detection *Surface target tracking *Air target detection *Air target tracking *Gun-fire targeting support These functions are supported by the following features: *Automatic air target track initiation and maintenance *Manual surface track initiation *Automatic surface track maintenance *Splash-spotting gunfire support for pre-action calibration *Extensive ECM facilities including integral LPI radar *Integral IFF antenna