NORAP contract for RSL

UK-based Raytheon Systems Limited (RSL) has been contracted to supply ten Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) systems to Avinor, Norway’s air navigation service provider.

One of these systems will be co-located with a Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR) provided by RSL’s sister company Raytheon Canada. The contract also provides options for a further five MSSR systems plus two additional S-Band PSR’s.

The multi million pound programme, called NORAP (Norwegian Radar Programme), will increase radar surveillance coverage to Norway’s existing infrastructure. It calls for two of the systems to be mounted offshore - one on Ekofisk (a fixed oil platform), and one on Heidrun, a tethered leg platform (TLP).

These two sensors, along with another on a shore site near Stavanger, are required to provide radar coverage for offshore oil support helicopters. Data from offshore will also be sent to land for use by en route controllers, thus providing long range high level cover. The remaining sensors will provide improved radar coverage throughout Norway.

Alastair Blair, RSL’s Director of Air Traffic Management Systems, said: ‘In the case of the oil platform installations, the radars will have to accommodate many reflecting surfaces such as cranes, drilling tower, metal structures, neighbouring platforms, walkways and the sea, without any compromise in performance.

‘In addition a TLP is floating and therefore moving constantly, presenting an even greater challenge, with the need to compensate for the platform movement.’