The Canadian and Australian governments have reached a joint agreement to export over-the-horizon radar (A-OTHR) to Canada. As part of this estimated $2.5 billion deal, BAE Systems Australia will form the tip of the spear with its native A-OTHR options.

According to BAE Systems Australia, this deal is now officially the largest defense export for the country, and the company is clearly delighted to be a part of it. For its part, Canada will receive one of the world’s most capable long-range surveillance systems ever built.

But why the need? The main problem being addressed is to find a radar system that can work effectively “over the horizon.” What this means in practice is to find a way to be able to detect threats beyond the inherent limited range of typical radar systems.

Typically, radar works in straight lines, but the Earth is round. This means that systems usually have a maximum range (radius) unless they can send and receive signals that somehow follow the curve of the Earth’s surface.

To give you some idea, typically, fighter aircraft have radar detection ranges of between 60 miles (96 km) to over 300+ miles (482 km), with bombers around twice that. Weapons that can fly at higher altitudes (like missiles) can extend that further, too.

Seeing threats over the horizon

Whatever the range, eventually everything disappears below the radar horizon. For a country like Canada, that’s potentially a huge problem.

For example, potential rival nations like Russia could, in theory, launch aircraft or cruise missiles from thousands of miles away over the Arctic. By the time a normal radar sees them, they’re already pretty close, reducing reaction times to respond.

One solution to this A-OTHR. This clever piece of tech is able to bounce radio waves off the Earth’s ionosphere to greatly extend range beyond the horizon. The ionosphere, in case you are unaware, is a layer of charged particles roughly 50 miles (80km) to 373 miles (600 km) above Earth.

By doing this, the ionosphere is able to bend (or more accurately refract) the radio wave back down toward Earth. The reflected signal bounces back the same way. You can liken it to skipping a stone across water, but using the atmosphere.

And the increase in range is impressive. According to BAE, planned export systems can detect targets between 621 miles (1,000 km) and 1,864 miles (3,000 km) away, depending on atmospheric conditions.

One such system is Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN), which is currently employed to watch Australia’s northern approaches. Such capability means JORN can detect potential threats while they’re still over Indonesia or far out at sea.

Canada’s new northern eyes

That gives Australian military planners hours of warning rather than minutes to react. For Canada, such a system would mean it could extend its detection range well into the Arctic Ocean.

And that’s exactly where it has the most anxiety due to the threat of Russian bombers, cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, etc, coming from Russia through the polar regions.

This is exacerbated by the fact that, as Arctic sea ice melts, the region is becoming more strategically important, with more shipping, military patrols, and competition among Arctic nations. As a result, Canada needs to monitor millions of square miles of mostly empty territory.

This could be achieved by building hundreds of conventional radars, which would be hugely expensive. But a handful of OTHR installations would likely be a smarter option.

“The export of Australian OTHR capability presents a significant opportunity for both Australian and Canadian industry and positions domestic firms to expand exports of high-value goods and services, particularly into allied defence and technology markets,” Craig Lockhart, Chief Executive Officer, BAE Systems Australia, explained.

“Canada’s acquisition of a cutting-edge Australian OTHR system supports the strategic interests of both nations through enhanced detection and tracking of threats to North America, strengthening Five-Eyes situational awareness,” he added.

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