Paraguay’s government has said that the acquisition of a long-range radar and a new command and control center, announced yesterday by President Santiago Peña, marks the beginning of the implementation of a radar system that covers 100% of the national territory, which will allow the identification of illegal flights.
“This is a historic day, there will be a before and after these acquisitions because we will definitely fulfill our purpose of defense and security for development. This is part of the decision of the President of the Republic to confront organised crime in all its facets,” said the Minister of National Defense, Oscar González, in a press conference, after the announcement by President Peña.
The purchase announced by the Government, through the Foreign Military Sales Program of the United States Government, includes a command and control center, a radar with a range of more than 400 kilometers, a communication system, software, a video wall and a batch of spare parts.
It also includes the training of 20 radar technicians, 20 radar operators, 20 command and control center operators, and radar infrastructure for both operational staff and technicians.
In addition, the American government guarantees the company’s after-sales service through the FMS program.
The contract for the acquisition of the radar and the command and control center was signed on February 22, and it is expected to be operational in Paraguay within 30 months, they said. The investment made is US$45,763,000.
Paraguay “on a par with the region”
The commander of the Paraguayan Air Force, General Julio Fullaondo, said that with this purchase, the government reaffirms its commitment to national security and the fight against organised crime, strengthening defense capacity, with an active participation in regional security.
“Paraguay was until now the only country in South America that did not have radars. With this acquisition we will be on a par with the countries in the region in contributing to regional security,” he said.
He stressed that with the acquisition of the radars, the Armed Forces are receiving full support to strengthen their capabilities and in this regard he pointed out that, for the first time, 100% of the fleet of Tucano T27 aircraft used for the protection of national airspace are operational today.
He also announced that the Government plans to acquire nine more radars to have a radar system with 100% coverage of Paraguay, within the regulations established by Law 7151.
“Law 7151 establishes coverage at a minimum height of 2,000 feet, so we are requesting a system to complement and cover the entire national territory at that height,” he said.
The acquired radar has a coverage of 250 miles (approximately 440 kilometers), which covers the entire eastern region and up to Mariscal Estigarribia, in the Paraguayan Chaco. However, at 2,000 feet altitude, this coverage is reduced to approximately 100 miles.
New radar facilities an “efficient use of the technologies”
The Minister of Information and Communication Technologies, Gustavo Villate, also indicated that along with this acquisition, work will be done on the integration of other available technologies, optimising the investments made in security in the country.
In this regard, he mentioned the refurbishment of two mobile radars of Israeli origin, which have not been used efficiently until now and are currently being modernised in Israel, and which will be reintroduced to the country for use in the coming months.
“These radars will also be incorporated into this command and control centre and our intention in the process we are carrying out is also to integrate civil radars. We are talking about a much more efficient use of the technologies and investments made in our country,” said Villate.
He also mentioned that the communications area for the different surveillance zones is being built, along with the strengthening of the entire communication system of the Air Force, with the aim of a much more rigorous control of irregular flights.
