The Brazilian Army (EB, in Portuguese) developed, in partnership with the Brazilian aerospace company Embraer, the Saber M200 Vigilante radar. The new technology is a medium-range surveillance radar developed by the Army Technological Center to meet the needs of the Army’s strategic “Anti-Aircraft Defense” project. The first prototype, the newest addition to the Saber family of radars, was presented on December 10, 2021, at a ceremony held at Embraer’s Campinas unit, in São Paulo state.
During the presentation, General Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira, EB commander, stressed the importance of the development for the national defense industry. “The Saber M200 Vigilante radar, the newest member of the surveillance radar family, is the product of high value-added technology and offers the possibility of expanding Brazilian participation in the international defense market, with a potential contribution to the country’s economy,” the officer said.
Gen. Paulo Sérgio also praised the 15-year partnership between EB and Embraer. “Together, we promote science, technology and innovation, while contributing to the capacity to deter potential threats and protect our territory, in addition to projecting the Brazilian Army, the national industry, and Brazil, internationally,” the commander said on the EB website.
Characteristics
The main mission of the new Saber M200 Vigilante radar is target detection and identification, providing data for the anti-aircraft artillery system. The equipment, which will be used by EB anti-aircraft artillery units, detects aircraft at a range of 200 km (150 km for combat aircraft), using active electronically scanned array technology. The radar guarantees a 360-degree coverage through four sets of fixed antennas, each set covering a 100-degree sector, with some overlap between them. The system also has a secondary radar, which performs air traffic control activities, enabling the identification of detected aircraft, classifying them as friend or foe.
“With the new radar, it will be possible to carry out early warnings for anti-aircraft defenses, and it can also be used for air traffic control activities or border surveillance,” the Army’s Social Communication Center (CCOMSEX, in Portuguese) told Diálogo. “One benefit of the new equipment is high mobility since it’s not necessary to leave the truck in which it’s transported to be put into operation. In addition, the radar can be transported on the Brazilian Air Force’s cargo aircraft, the C-130 and KC-390 Millennium,” CCOMSEX said.
The Army Evaluation Center is assessing the Saber M200 Vigilante prototype. The necessary technical and operational tests will be carried out to ensure that the radar has the expected performance and reliability.
“The preparation of the radar’s production line and production process will also begin, so that development of the units to be used by operational units can begin,” CCOMSEX said. “It is estimated that the first military organizations will receive this radar between 2023 and 2024.”
