Top radar market manufacturers maintain status quo

Top radar market manufacturers maintain status quo

Keywords: Radar, Military aircraft

Production of airborne and land/sea- based radars will generate $24.6 billion over the next 10 years, according to Forecast International's “The Market for Radar Systems.”

The analysis projects that the segment's top five companies – Raytheon,Northrop Grumman, MEADS International, Thales, and Rockwell International– will garner roughly $12 billion during this forecast timeframe,representing 49 per cent of the total 10-year market.

These companies are solidly entrenched, and there is little likelihood that any other company will take over a top slot any time soon (with the exception of Lockheed Martin, a contender for a major part of the Space Radar program). There will continue to be changes in the number four and number five positions, with around 12 companies possibly moving up (or down) based on contracting fortune and timing.

Programs such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter are going to drive this aspect of the analysis from year to year.

Forecast International Radar Analyst Kernan Chaisson notes that advances in electronically scanned antennas and phased arrays make them the apertures of choice for the next-generation fighter and attack aircraft. Technology is making AESA (active electronically scanned array) a viable, affordable, attractive alternative to the old dish or more modern phased-array aperture. AESA allows the radar to generate jamming beams against enemy systems within the radar and antenna's bandwidth.

Electronic attack is a stated mission for the JSF, and an electronic attack capability is being considered for retrofit to the F/A-22's APG-77 sensor suite. Also, the F/A-18E/F's APG- 79(V) is being evaluated for a possible retrofit of a limited electronic attack capability.

With unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) becoming increasingly prevalent for battlefield surveillance, synthetic aperture radars are becoming a valuable addition to the electro-optical sensor suites they carry. The Multi- Platform Radar Technology Insertion (MP-RTIP) is being developed for the Global Hawk and for the Air Force JSTARS replacement, the E-10A. Predator is already equipped with a small, UAV-specific radar, as are European designs.

In another new study titled “The World Market for Military Rotorcraft”Forecast International is projecting that 6,253 military rotorcraft, with an estimated value of $96 billion, will be produced during the next 10 years.

In stark contrast to the relatively stagnant civil rotorcraft market, the military side of the segment is expected to be quite dynamic during the forecast timeframe. Forecast International projections indicate that annual production of military rotorcraft will steadily increase through the year 2013, and then drop off beginning in 2014. The monetary value of yearly production is expected to show a similar trend, increasing as well through 2013.

The forecast production totals include both new-build rotorcraft and significant or extensive modifications of existing rotorcraft. The latter,constituting an important part of the overall market, number some 1,370 units(worth about $18 billion) within the overall production forecast.

Market share projections for the period indicate that Sikorsky will lead the market in both unit production and production value, despite the company's highly publicised loss in the VXX presidential transport competition. According to Forecast International senior aerospace analyst Raymond Jaworowski, “The loss in the VXX competition hurts Sikorsky's prestige more than its overall bottom line”.

US101, a version of the AgustaWestland EH101, won the VXX contract. AgustaWestland is teamed with Lockheed Martin and Bell on the US101 effort. Lockheed Martin is acting as prime contractor on the US101 VXX program, and provides systems integration work for the effort. Even though it does not build helicopter airframes, Lockheed Martin is leveraging its system integration expertise, and making skillful use of teaming arrangements, to become an important player in the rotorcraft market.

Details available from: Forecast International Inc., Tel: 203 426 0800 web site: www.forecastinternational.com