Plextek Wins $3.5 Million Blighter Radar Contract for UK Armed Forces (15 July 2008)

Plextek, the Cambridge-based electronics and communications design consultancy, announced today that it has been awarded a contract worth around $3.5 million (£1.75 million) for the supply of its innovative Blighter radar systems. The electronic-scan (e-scan) ground surveillance radars are for a UK MoD urgent operational requirement (UOR). Plextek will be working alongside Ultra Electronics SML Technologies, who are lead systems integrator for the radars. Delivery of the initial units is scheduled for Q4 2008.

Blighter e-scan radars use modern solid-state electronics and have no moving parts, thereby removing the requirement for routine maintenance as well as offering dramatic improvements in reliability over traditional rotating radars. Blighter radars also offer exceptional target detection performance in rocky, mountainous terrain.

Blighter surveillance products address a broad range of security requirements in the defence, homeland security and civil/commercial markets. Blighter radars are part of a range of advanced Plextek technologies that provide class-leading protection against both conventional and asymmetric terrorist threats.

Colin Smithers, MD of Plextek stated “We are delighted that the UK MoD has recognised the numerous technical merits of the Blighter radar and has chosen to use it for such a critical application”.