WASHINGTON - The United States Coast Guard sought a weather radar upgrade for its existing systems on its Sikorsky MH-60 Jayhawk and Eurocopter MH-65 Dolphin multimission helicopters. They found their solution from Honeywell in Phoenix. The USCG selected Honeywell's IntuVue RDR-7000 radar system, which the company says will feature fully automated tilt and gain controls, an intuitive weather return display, and advanced surveillance of maritime vessels. The reduced size, weight and power will reduce operational cost, improve fuel efficiency and enhance mission readiness, Honeywell says.Â
The RDR-7000 uses 3D volumetric scanning across an extensive detection range to create a complete, real-time view of weather from 0 to 60,000 feet vertically and up to 180 nautical miles in front of the aircraft for typical helicopter applications utilizing a 12-inch antenna. For large helicopter and fixed-wing applications, the radar range can be extended up to 320 nautical miles by utilizing a larger antenna.
The radar is also fully automated and does not require active pilot adjustments of tilt and gain controls for operation, reducing workload in the cockpit. The RDR-7000 will enable USCG pilots to focus less on radar operation and more on mission execution while operating in challenging weather conditions. Additionally, the RDR-7000 provides an advanced “Real Beam” maritime surveillance mode for detecting seaborne targets on the radar display.
“We have a strong understanding of the needs of the United States Coast Guard, and we are confident that the next-generation weather radar technology provided by the IntuVue RDR-7000 system will significantly enhance USCG mission readiness for the safety and security of the United States,” said Matt Milas, president, Defense and Space, Honeywell Aerospace. “For more than 100 years, Honeywell has developed flight safety systems for all types of aircraft and spacecraft, and this latest radar sets the standard for the industry.”
