US Coast Guard to Upgrade Weather Radar System on MH-60 and MH-65 Helicopters

(07/04/23)  The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has selected Honeywell’s IntuVue RDR-7000 weather radar system as an upgrade to existing systems on its Sikorsky MH-60 Jayhawk and Eurocopter MH-65 Dolphin multi-mission helicopters.

The upgrade builds on the performance and situational awareness provided by the currently installed Honeywell P701 weather radar system.

The RDR-7000 will feature state-of-the-art capabilities, including fully automated tilt and gain controls, an intuitive weather return display and advanced surveillance of maritime vessels.

The significantly reduced size, weight and power will reduce operational cost, improve fuel efficiency and enhance mission readiness.

Honeywell's IntuVue RDR-7000 weather radar system

“We have a strong understanding of the needs of the United States Coast Guard, and we are confident that the next-generation weather radar technology provided by the IntuVue RDR-7000 system will significantly enhance USCG mission readiness for the safety and security of the United States,” said Matt Milas, president, Defense and Space, Honeywell Aerospace. “For more than 100 years, Honeywell has developed flight safety systems for all types of aircraft and spacecraft, and this latest radar sets the standard for the industry.”

The RDR-7000 uses 3D volumetric scanning across an extensive detection range to create a complete, real-time view of weather from 0 to 60,000 feet vertically and up to 180 nautical miles in front of the aircraft for typical helicopter applications utilizing a 12-inch antenna.

For large helicopter and fixed-wing applications, the radar range can be extended up to 320 nautical miles by utilizing a larger antenna.

The radar is also fully automated and does not require active pilot adjustments of tilt and gain controls for operation, significantly reducing workload in the cockpit. This enables pilots to focus less on radar operation and more on mission execution while operating in challenging weather conditions.

The RDR-7000 also provides an advanced “Real Beam” maritime surveillance mode for detecting seaborne targets on the radar display.

Headlines: