Thales Introduces NS50, First 4d Aesa Radar for Small-Platform Naval Market

On October 23, during blue and brown water deployments, navies must be able to rely on digital technologies to guarantee the full performance of sensors onboard real time and at all times. To provide naval forces with the high solution they need, Thales launched a 4D AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) air and surface surveillance radar, the NS50.

Threats for naval vessels are becoming increasingly more complex thus driving requirements for a broadening spectrum of missions and tasks. With NS50, Thales aims to bring the benefits of a 4D AESA radar to naval vessels where 2D radars are the standard.

Thanks to the innovative architecture the new Thales AESA radar family brings to bear 4D, not only providing bearing, range and elevation (3D), but also providing in-depth analysis of the target’s Doppler and other characteristics during that extended time-on-target (the 4th dimension), every single scan. The result proved the NS50 was vastly superior in air and surface detection, tracking & classification performance when compared to 3D (and certainly 2D) radars.




“By applying our latest digital technologies to the NS50 and other NS-radars, we enable navies to detect, track and identify any threat and make the right decisions at every decisive moment. In addition, by going to a digital software-defined, future-proof radar architecture, with inherent scalability and upgradability, navies will be ready for whatever the future may bring,” said senior vice president for surface radar activities, Thales, Serge Adrian.

The NS50 radar is a 4D AESA dual-axis multi-beam radar conceived with a range up to 180 kilometres on a price point to meet the budget consideration of all naval services. Scalable and easily upgradable, software-defined (future-proof) 4D AESA compact radar technology is deployable across all ship classes, combining surveillance and weapon support into one. This X-band radar can integrate with the latest ship defence weapons, such as new gun-ammunition and active short-to-medium range missiles. The system’s weapon support functionality will provide military-grade 4D track data, either to the ship’s gun systems or active missile systems for ‘First Time Right’ anti-surface or anti-air engagements.

Within Thales’ NS family, the NS50 is positioned as in class, 4D radar in terms of size and range (short to medium range) and affordable for smaller platforms.