Thales and NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) have signed a contract for the supply of a ForceShield system to the Portuguese Army, which is designed to reinforce Portugal's very short-range air defense (VSHORAD) capabilities.
It meets NATO requirements, which encourages its members to increase their VSHORAD capabilities, improve theatre protection and defend against high-visibility threats.
This ForceShield contract is the first contract for Thales in a European Union country and part of the long-term Military Programming Law (LPM), which defines the strategic framework for the modernization of the Armed Forces' in-service equipment.
The ForceShield solution acquired includes a Ground Master 200 air surveillance radar, a radio communications system, Air Defense command-and-control center ControlView together with portable weapon allocation terminals, RapidRanger vehicles with LMM and StarStreak effectors.
ForceShield is Thales's air defense solution, designed to protect forces, citizens and critical infrastructure from an increasingly diverse range of airborne threats - from low-altitude threats such as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to helicopters, fighter ground attacks or cruise missiles.
ForceShield provides appropriate components to detect, coordinate, engage and neutralize threats. The contract includes a complete ForceShield Compact solution, with a Ground Master 200 air surveillance radar, a radio communications system, Air Defense command-and-control center ControlView together with portable weapon allocation terminals. This air defense system includes as well RapidRanger vehicles with StarStreak high velocity Air Defense Missile and Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM) anti-armor missiles.
The Ground Master 200 radar establishes tracks faster and keeps them locked for longer; hence maximizing situational awareness for optimum engagement. This gives time to the ControlView to evaluate the threat, while allocating the appropriate firing units for air target engagement through each weapon terminal.
RapidRanger is a unique lightweight, vehicle based, highly automated system capable of delivering a rapid reaction response to air and surface threats. It will be fitted with StarStreak and LMM missiles.
Raphael DESI, Vice-President Integrated Airspace Protection Systems, Thales: “Thales is proud to contribute effectively to the capability enhancement of Portuguese Army. This first contract is a recognition of the trust on our air defense systems by NATO countries and all over the world to support nations safeguarding their airspace sovereignty.”
