ARTHUR is a military radar system originally developed by Ericsson Microwave Systems (now Saab Microwave Systems) in close cooperation with the Swedish Defence Material Administration and Norwegian Army Material Command.
ARTHUR can operate as a stand-alone medium-range Weapons Locating Radar or a long-range weapon locating system, consisting of 2 to 4 radars working in coordination. This flexibility enables the system to maintain a constant surveillance of an area of interest on a complex battlefield.
It detects hostile projectiles and calculates their points of origin with great accuracy and these positions are automatically relayed to friendly artillery units, which can then return fire. ARTHUR also tracks out-going projectiles from friendly artillery and calculates points of impact. The radar is capable of detecting and track very small targets such as mortar bombs in the presence of clutter and electronics countermeasures (ECM).
With its low weight, small size and single vehicle configuration when mounted on a BV206, the system has high tactical and operational mobility and is capable of manoeuvering in the most difficult of terrain.
In a demonstration in Hungary, ARTHUR was able to detect and locate the firing units for 500 assorted rockets, cannon shells, and mortar rounds.
The British say that ARTHUR meets their requirement to locate any artillery piece firing within 15km of friendly troops within 75 meters. It can be carried by a C-130 or slung under a heavy lift helicopter such as a Chinook. Its air mobility allows it for use by light and rapid reaction forces such as the airborne and Marine units.
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