미육군, ATHENA-R 전역 레이다 정찰기 한국에 전개

[위종민]

미육군의 신형 전역 고고도 레이다 정찰기(ATHENA-R; Army Theater level High Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne ISR-Radar )가 이번 주 한국에 전개돼 4개월 간 주요 시험을 실시할 예정이라고 합니다. MAG Air와 L3해리스가 봄바디어 글로벌 6500 비즈제트기에 센서와 장비들을 통합했다고 하고, 총 2대를 개조할 예정입니다. 레이다 정찰기 외에 시에라네바다 코퍼레이션이 신호정찰기 (ATHENA-S)를 개발중이네요. 

터보프롭인 RC-12 가드레일 정찰기를 대체하기 위해 ARTEMIS (ISR) 프로그램 외에  ARES( Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System ), AHTENA 프로그램이 진행중이었네요. 최종적으론 HADES 정찰기가 2020년 후반에 배치될 모양입니다. 

아마 오산으로 왔을 듯 한데, 316번 지방도를 종종 지나가 봐야겠습니다. ㅎㅎㅎ 

Army deploys first Athena-R spy plane to South Korea - Breaking Defense

Army deploys first Athena-R spy plane to South Korea - Breaking Defense

Army deploys first Athena-R spy plane to South Korea

The service will begin a multi-month operational assessment of the militarized Bombardier Global 6500 jet, with plans to field three similar aircraft later this year.

By   Ashley Roqueon February 14, 2025 at 2:25 PM

A photo of the US Army’s new Athena-R aircraft that deployed to South Korea this week. (L3Harris)

WASHINGTON — A new US Army spy plane deployed to South Korea this week and is slated to begin key testing to ensure it is ready for operations, according to a senior service leader.

Dubbed Athena-R — short for the Army Theater level High Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne ISR-Radar — the service tasked MAG Air and L3Harris with integrating a suite of sensors and equipment onto two Bombardier Global 6500 business jets. As of this week, that first one is now “supporting the long-standing commitment we have to the Republic of Korea,” Andrew Evans, the director of the Army’s ISR Task Force, told Breaking Defense today.

The service will begin an operational assessment with the aircraft next week that is expected to last about four months and assess any fixes the modified spy plane might need. 

“We may spend the first few months doing some adjustments and tweaks. This is our newest system, and so as with any new system, we’ll have to work out some bugs, but … we have the right experts on the ground,” Evans said.

“This will be an ongoing and iterative operational assessment with the goal of having those fixes complete in the coming months and then being in a sustainable place here by May or June, with it collecting on behalf of the US Army on a daily basis,” he added.

In the meantime, the MAG Air and L3Harris team will continue integration work on the second Athena-R, with Evans eyeing its deployment to the Indo-Pacific region later this fiscal year.

The Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is also under contract to produce two similar aircraft dubbed Athena-Sensor. Those two aircraft are also expected to be ready for deployment later this year, though it is not yet clear where the Army will send them.

“They will be offered for global allocation according to the priorities of the administration, the joint force and OSD [Office of the Secretary of Defense],” Evans said. 

Both Athena lines are billed as “bridging” aerial ISR assets as service leaders move out on plans to field the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES). Also centered around the Global 6500, last year the Army selected SNC to proceed with integration work on that program. 

If the HADES program stays on track, the first aircraft should be ready by the end of 2026 or early 2027, and the service could ultimately acquire more than a dozen under a one-per-year buy depending on budgets and the threat analysis.

L3Harris and MAG develop two ISR aircraft for US Army Athena-R project - Army Technology

L3Harris and MAG develop two ISR aircraft for US Army Athena-R project - Army Technology

L3Harris and MAG develop two ISR aircraft for US Army Athena-R project

The partnership will support the US Army’s Theater-Level, High-Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne ISR-Radar program – known as Athena-R.

John HillAugust 23, 2023

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Artist interpretation of Bombardier’s Global 6500 Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft. MAG Aerospace and L3Harris are working together to integrate two of these aircraft according to the requirements of the US Army’s Theater-Level, High-Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne ISR-Radar programme – known as Athena-R. Credit: Bombardier.

The US Army has awarded MAG Aerospace and its teaming partner L3Harris a contract to deliver two Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, modelled on the Bombardier Global 6500.

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ISR collection and distribution is a critical part of operating a fighting force by providing personnel, vehicles and systems across a network with actionable insight in the battlespace in real time.

With this in mind, the US Army’s Theater-Level, High-Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne ISR-Radar programme, known as Athena-R, will integrate sensor nodes and a command and control hub on two Bombardier Global 6500 aircraft.

The Army has turned to defence contractors to develop its aerial sensing needs as it transitions from its existing fleet of turboprop ISR aircraft to a more modern and capable fleet based on long-range business jets.

For this reason, the Army has established three projects: first, the Airborne Reconnaissance Targeting Exploitation Mission Intelligence System (ARTEMIS); second, the Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System (ARES) programmes; and lastly, the Army Theater Level High-Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne (ATHENA) programmes.

There are two variants of the Athena programme: signals (intelligence derived from electronic signals and systems) and a radar-capable variant. While MAG leads the radar programme Leidos leads the signals, for which L3Harris serves as a teaming partner in both.

Athena-R is equipped with a synthetic aperture radar that tracks moving targets on the ground while Athena-S, also known as the ‘sigint’ variant, provides electronics detection and identification of assets such as air-defence radar and communication nodes.

According to the original equipment manufacturer of the jet the multi-role aircraft has over 18 hours of endurance, proven reliability with class-leading maintenance intervals and ample cabin space for workstations and mission equipment.

L3Harris and MAG are defence contractors with expertise in developing sophisticated sensor suites. Besides winning a contract in September 2022 to develop Phase 2 of the Army’s Multi-Domain Sensing System programme, L3Harris supports an additional Army ISR mission: the Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare aircraft known as ARES. 

Likewise, MAG is currently the prime contractor for the Army’s Sensor Technology Operations and Readiness (STORM) contract. Being deeply embedded in these critical capabilities is core to MAG’s mission of making the world smaller and safer.

“Current geopolitical circumstances dictate a need for an adaptable and resolute ISR solution that can adequately address near-peer threats and future contested environments, and [MAG is] prepared to execute,” said Joseph Reale, CEO of MAG Aerospace.