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Turkey reacts to Israeli OTH radar installation on Crete

Featured Turkey reacts to Israeli OTH radar installation on Crete

The news of the future installation of an Israeli OTH (over the horizon) radar, in the eastern part of Crete, on Mount Ziros has caused the angst and reaction of Turkey.

More analytically, according to the Turkish News website, after almost four years, Greece and Israel seem to have agreed to establish an Israeli-made radar capable of tracking targets beyond the horizon, which more than likely will be the ELM-2270 OTH made by state-owned company IAI / ELTA in eastern Crete.

The aim of the two sides is to cover the wider region between Crete and Cyprus, a distance of 558 km where natural gas extraction platforms will be installed in the near future.

Although the system has a range of 370 km, it is estimated that another system will be placed on the coasts of Israel, thus creating a grid of sensors covering the area between the two islands, providing a satisfactory awareness of the situation for the leadership of the three countries.

The Israeli radar has a 2 km accuracy, a 3 km resolution range, and can detect a 1500 ton displacement ship at 370 km and a small twin-engined aircraft such as a KingAir200 at a distance of 130 km.

The radar operates on the HF frequency and has a 120 degree azimuth. With this system combined with other sensors such as Flying Radar, Ground Radar, Maritime Aircraft, and radar-equipped UAVs, Greece along with Israel will be able to monitor the navigation in this area as well as anything flying between Crete and Cyprus.

The ELM-2270 OTH radar will ensure the protection of gas platforms off the coast of Cyprus from conventional and asymmetrical threats by terrorist organizations, safeguarding the economic and geopolitical interests of Cyprus, Greece and Israel, and will gather information on Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey.

The issue of the radar installation may be the subject of a discussion between the Prime Ministers of Greece and Israel and the President of Cyprus at his forthcoming meeting in Jerusalem.

source:Defence-point.com