Thales will deliver two GM400α long-range air surveillance radars to Malaysia to enhance the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s monitoring and air defense capabilities.
With a detection range of up to 515 kilometers (320 miles), the GM400α is designed for mobility, reliability, and easy integration.
Thales will work alongside Malaysia’s Weststar Group to deploy the radars in line with national operational requirements.
The initiative will also include knowledge transfer and Train-the-Trainer courses to build local technical expertise, enhance maintenance capabilities, and support the Malaysian forces’ long-term autonomy in managing and operating the radar systems.
Features
The GM400α radar updates its scans every six seconds, allowing it to continuously monitor and detect aerial targets at different altitudes, including high, medium, and low levels.
The system is developed to detect and track various aerial threats, including aircraft, missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Once a target is detected, the system identifies whether it is friendly or potentially hostile.
This process supports command and control centers in making timely decisions and helps reduce the risk of misidentification.
Maintenance is limited to 30 hours per year, with software updates enabling adaptation to new threats, electronic warfare, and cyber challenges.
Previous Contracts
To date, Thales has delivered over 270 Ground Master radars globally.
In 2023, Malaysia signed an agreement with the French company to acquire a GM400α long-range radar.
The deal followed a series of live demonstrations to assess the radar’s capacity to complement and enhance the country’s existing air surveillance and defense systems.
The Asian nation has a long-standing relationship with Thales in this domain, having been the launch customer for the earlier GM400 model in 2009.
