Ground Master 400

The Ground Master 400 is a mobile radar system manufactured by ThalesRaytheonSystems.[1] GM 400 is a fully digital active electronically scanned array long-range air defense 3D radar, offering detection from very high to very low altitudes. It tracks a wide range of targets from highly maneuverable tactical aircraft flying below several hundred feet to the unconventional small radar crossection devices, such as UAVs or cruise missiles

Ground Master 400

Finnish Ground Master 403
Country of origin	France
Introduced	2008
No. built	47
Type	Digital 3D AESA
Frequency	S band
RPM	6
Range	470 km (290 mi)
Altitude	30,500 m (100,100 ft)
Azimuth	360°
Elevation	20° and 40°
Precision	50 m (160 ft)

The system can be set up by a four-man crew in 30 minutes and can be remotely operated. The system fits in a 20-foot shipping container and weighs less than ten tons. The system can be rapidly deployed mounted on a 6x6 or 8x8 tactical truck and can be transported by a single C-130 aircraft or a helicopter.[2]

The GM 400 has been selected to protect the European Space Agency's Guiana Space Centre. The system was to be operational by the end of 2012.[3]

Main characteristics

• Air Surveillance Radar
• Crew: 4
• S-band, 3D AESA Radar
• 6 RPM Rotation Rate
• High-altitude, long-range air defense sensor
• Detects fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, cruise missiles, UAVs, and tactical ballistic missiles
• Coverage:
  • Azimuth: 360°
  • Elevation: 20° and 40°
• Performance:
  • Detection range:
    • Fighter aircraft: 450 km
    • Cruise missile: 250 km
  • Max detection rate in altitude: 30.5 km
  • Instrumented range: 470 km
• High mobility, transportability, and reliability
• Operating modes:
  • Digital Beam Forming mode
  • Stacked beam (maximum time on target)
  • S-Band (high part 2.9 / 3.3 GHz)
  • 2 Doppler modes
  • Electronic Counter-CounterMeasures (ECCM) capabilities
  • Tactical ballistic missile (TBM) detection capability.

Operators

•  Canada: 2 systems, project cancelled 7/2015.[4]
•  Estonia: 2 Ground Master 403 systems[5]
•  Finland: 12 Ground Master 403 systems.[5] Local designation is Keva 2010.[6]
•  France: 2 systems GM 406 in 2017, 3 in 2019[5], 12 systems GM 403 in 2022[7],
•  Georgia: N/A GM 403 and GM 200 systems[8][9]
•  Germany: 6 systems[5]
•  Malaysia: 1 system[5]
•  Slovenia: 2 Ground Master 403 systems.[5]
•  Chile: 4 systems
•  Morocco: 3 systems[10]
•  Mexico: 5+1 (Intended)
•  Bolivia: 4 systems

See also

• GIRAFFE 4A, portable ground radar
• KALKAN Air Defence Radar
• TAFLIR, another ground-based, non-fixed (i.e., transportable) search radar (AN/TPS)
• AN/TPS-43
• AN/TPS-75

References

1. "Defence Update: Finland Selects Norwegian/U.S. NASAMS for SA-11 Replacement". Archived from the original on 2017-12-10. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
2. Deagel: Ground Master 400
3. "Thales Group". Archived from the original on 2013-08-02. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
4. Beeby, Dean (Jul 12, 2015). "Canada's CF18 bases won't have radar units replaced as $55M deal cancelled". CBC. Retrieved Oct 22, 2015.
5. Wolff, Christian. "Ground Master 400 (GM 400)". Radartutorial.eu. Retrieved Oct 22, 2015.
6. "Finnish Defence Forces' webpage". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
7. http://www.defense.gouv.fr/air/actus-air/inauguration-d-un-nouveau-radar-de-defense-aerienne-le-gm-406
8. "Armement : la France fait une belle percée en Géorgie", La Tribune.
9. https://mod.gov.ge/ge/news/read/6601/samxedro-sahaero-tavdacvis-dge-aleqseevkas-samxedro-bazaze-aginishna
10. http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130503/DEFREG01/305030017/French-US-Venture-High-Hopes-Radar-Prospects