On 10 June 2024 Saab revealed the Compact Radar Module for its Giraffe 1X radar, which the company will be showcasing at the Eurosatory exhibition in Paris in mid-June.

Designed to offer an all-in-one solution, the system features an antenna that, with the press of a button, folds down into the compact and lightweight radar module, offering a versatile and highly mobile capability for fast operational requirements.

“The well-known, battle-proven and constantly software-upgraded lightweight Giraffe 1X radar can now be delivered together with the Compact Radar Module as one operational item,” Saab stated in a press release. “Its small footprint and large search volume (75 km range) make it excellent for urgent operations with limited operational infrastructure.”

Carl-Johan Bergholm, head of Saab’s Surveillance business area, was quoted as saying that the Giraffe 1X Compact Radar Module “is an all-in-one solution, made with mobility and operational urgency as key user needs.

“The Compact Radar Module is the latest example of how we are leveraging the capabilities of the Giraffe 1X radar, giving customers a number of different ways to deploy Giraffe 1X wherever and however it can maximise their operational effectiveness,” he added.

The Giraffe 1X 3D multi-mission radar, which features a gallium nitride-based active electronically scanned array (AESA), provides commanders with high-quality air defence target data, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) detection and a sense-and-warn capability in relation to hostile rockets, artillery rounds and mortar rounds within a single system.

While the system, which offers continuous software upgrades in order to meet emerging battlefield threats, has a 75 km range as a general ground-based air defence radar, it can detect a UAV lighter than a milk carton out to a range of up to 4 km.

Saab’s Giraffe 1X Compact Radar Module provides a highly mobile all-in-one solution for ground-based air defence, countering hostile UAVs and counter-rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) duties. (Photo: Saab)