Last Updated: 06/15/2009*

Raytheon will be featuring its Airborne Stand-off Radar system, in service with the U.K. Royal Air Force, at the Paris Air Show. ASTOR is a sophisticated air-to-ground surveillance system that provides 24-hour, all-weather, actionable intelligence.

An ASTOR Sentinel R1 aircraft and a tactical ground station will be available on static display at the Raytheon pavilion behind chalet numberA387. Members of 5 (Army Cooperation) Squadron, RAF, who have operated the system during deployment, will be showcasing the system’s capabilities.

Since the system was declared in service in November 2008, ASTOR has been deployed twice to Afghanistan in support of U.K. forces.

“ASTOR has clearly proven itself during operational trials,” said RAF Gp Capt Harry Kemsley. “As we prepare to deploy again – to provide airborne support during the Afghanistan elections – we are looking forward to exploring additional capabilities, such as ASTOR’s emerging counter-IED operations.”

ASTOR Video

The ASTOR system comprises five Sentinel aircraft, six tactical ground stations, two operational level ground station units, support vehicles, and an extensive and sophisticated support infrastructure.

Raytheon has delivered all ASTOR equipment to the U.K. Ministry of Defence and supports the system in the field, assisting the front line on operations and in training and logistics. In what is known as “Contractor Support to Deployed Operations,” Raytheon Systems Limited oversees the 10-year contractor logistics support program.

The ASTOR’s dual mode radar incorporates a synthetic aperture radar and moving target indicator for wide-area surveillance.

Data from the radar system is exploited and disseminated by an extensive and sophisticated communications suite including wide- and narrow-band data links, tactical data links, secure VHF and UHF radios and satellite communications, all controlled through a central mission system operated by crews in the air and ground segments.

ASTOR Provides Actionable Intelligence

“The actionable intelligence provided by ASTOR has had an immediate operational impact on the success of U.K. and allied ground forces in theater,” said Tim Carey, Raytheon vice president of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems. “It is one more example of how Raytheon’s technology is being successfully deployed worldwide.”

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