PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Sentinel R1 to be scrapped next year due to ‘obsolescence’ say MoD
Old 26th May 2020, 22:17
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Lima Juliet
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: UK
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On capability gaps, the MQ-9 Reaper and the MQ-9B Protector can offer both Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI) with its Lynx multimode radar. Here is some info: https://www.ga-asi.com/lynx-multi-mode-radar

Now the Lynx is not as powerful as the Sentinel’s radar, but there are many more Protectors on order than we have Sentinels - so in this case quantity gives a quality better than before. Further the fidelity of the data from Protector is superior as it is closer to the area being surveilled. It can also deliver product beyond line of sight - indeed from anywhere on the planet with the right satellite coverage and bandwidth (which there is).



So the RAF retains a SAR/GMTI capability with the 20+ Protectors on order. So all is not lost when it comes to capability - the Reapers already being flown offer that capability now, but in smaller numbers.
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