IAI unveils radar that detects targets in dense forests

Israel Aerospace Industries on Tuesday revealed a new radar capable of identifying targets traveling through heavily wooded areas.

The radar, known as the ELM-2112FP persistent surveillance foliage penetration radar, was developed by IAI subsidiary ELTA Systems, and will be displayed at the upcoming LAAD Defense & Security conference in Brazil.

The conference is scheduled to take place between April 4 and April 7 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

The ELM-2112FP is being marketed as a border security solution with all-weather infrastructure protection applications on land and sea. According to IAI, the system provides previously unavailable capabilities, and has already been successfully deployed.

"This radar is a technological breakthrough that takes the family of persistent radars a step further by providing a viable solution for securing borders and facilities," ELTA Systems general manager Israel Lupa explained in a press release. "This unique and proven capability offers a real and immediate operational solution to the full area persistent surveillance, and we are confident that there will be a strong demand for such a system."

The ELM-2112FP's forest-penetrating abilities are supported by Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave technology, or FMCW, which allows operators to track personnel and vehicle movements in congested regions of interest in real-time regardless of a clear line-of-sight. IAI maintains the technology will help eliminate "intelligence gaps" in compromised areas.

"Using this radar has opened our eyes in places that were so far beyond our vision; this system has huge operational value," the company said, quoting an unmanned border protection commander.