Lockheed Martin will deliver a long-range air surveillance radar system to the world's largest offshore wind farm, based along England's east coast.
The advanced electronics of Lockheed Martin’s TPS-77 radar mitigate interference, or “clutter,” that commonly obscure radar targets in and around wind farms. The new radar system will provide air defence surveillance capabilities for the MoD and allow the UK to move forward with its plans to install some 924 turbines along England’s east coast.
The radar will provide surveillance over five planned wind farms in the Greater Wash Strategic Area — Sheringham Shoal, Race Bank, Dudgeon, Triton Knoll and Docking Shoal — that are expected to generate more than 5,500 megawatts of sustainable power.
Under contract with Serco, Lockheed Martin will deliver the TPS-77 system by November 2011. In the UK Serco has served as Lockheed Martin’s in-country Contractor Logistic Support partner for the MoD’s FPS-117, or Type 92 radars, delivering greater than 98% operational availability.
The TPS-77 radar system supports the goals of the Department of Energy and Climate Change to reduce fuel consumption. In 2009, the UK established the Low Carbon Transition Plan to reduce emissions 34% from 1990 levels by 2020 and an 80% reduction by 2050. With more than 200 operational offshore wind farms, wind power is the nation’s biggest renewable energy source. In 2008, the UK surpassed Denmark as the largest offshore wind generator in the world.
“Lockheed Martin continually incorporates state of the art technology into its TPS-77 and FPS-117 family of ground-based radars,” said Carl Bannar, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Radar Systems business. “This investment allows us to provide new capabilities and enhanced performance for customers while leveraging the field proven architecture and 30 years of operational experience with our family of long range radars.”
