February 21, 2009: India is buying twenty Ground Master 400 portable radars. The system fits in a 20 foot shipping container and weighs less than ten tons. Thus it can be carried on one truck. This is an AESA radar that can be set up by a four man crew in 30 minutes. It can detect large aircraft at up to nearly 500 kilometers, while smaller combat aircraft are spotted at closer to 400 kilometers. Aircraft can be seen at up to 33 kilometers altitude. The entire system will, on average, operate for 3,500 hours before experiencing a failure.
India and the manufacturer (Thales) are still working out delivery details. Each radar system will cost about $5 million.
