Saab’s Sea Giraffe Gets Official Designation from US Navy

Saab’s Sea Giraffe AMB Radar has received its official designation from the U.S. Navy, its official nomenclature now being the AN/SPS-77 (V)1, Saab Defense and Security USA (SDAS) announced.

Mr. Erik Smith, Vice President of SDAS Sensor Systems Division, which is in charge of adapting the system, said: “The AN/SPS 77 has proven to be the most capable and adaptable medium range multi-mission radar asset available to the LCS program and future U.S. maritime security platforms. The radar system is able to efficiently incorporate new capabilities through Saab’s modular architecture and Rapid Technology Insertion process.”

SDAS, in cooperation with General Dynamics, Bath Iron Works and Austal, is integrating the AN/SPS-77 radar into the USS Independence and other US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) of the Independence variant program.

The AN/SPS-77 is a multi-role medium-range 3D surveillance radar system suitable for demanding naval environments from the littorals to blue-water operations. It provides simultaneous air and surface surveillance and can be employed in a weapon designation role. The agile multi-beam function scans the entire search volume to 70o in every single scan with a fast scan-rate of 60 rpm.

So far, USS Independence (LCS 2), USS Coronado (LCS 4), and USS Jackson (LCS 6) have integrated the radar into their systems and five more are in various stages of manufacturing and test. Four more systems are envisaged under the LCS Block Buy contract to meet the arranged deliveries.

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Naval Today Staff, January 16, 2014; Image: SAAB