The Mexican navy is equipping its CN-235 marine patrol aircraft with U.S. manufacturer Telephonics' APS-143C(V)3 radar as part of its refurbishment program.

The CN-235 is an old workhorse originally developed by the former CASA of Spain, now part of EADS Airbus Military, and IPTN of Indonesia as a regional airliner and military transport.

Telephonics Corp. said it received the contract, worth more than $2 million, from EADS Airbus Military and would supply the APS-143C(V)3 radar systems for installation on the CN-235 aircraft in use by the Mexican navy.

Telephonics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Griffon Corp., said it saw the potential to fulfill the Mexican navy's maritime requirements with an additional six of the radar systems.

"We are pleased to be a part of this team in support of the Mexican navy's maritime and border surveillance missions," said Kevin McSweeney, Radar Systems Division president of the company.

The APS-143C(V)3, also known as OceanEye, is a high-performance maritime surveillance radar, which the company says is "durable, lightweight, highly reliable" and offers synthetic aperture radar imaging as well as inverse synthetic aperture radar imaging.

The ISAR and SAR imaging are vital to maritime patrol and surveillance.

Telephonics said its system also provided for "outstanding" long-range small target detection.

Jane's Intelligence and Insight said the AN/APS-143(V)3, as a maritime surveillance and tracking radar, is suitable for installation in a variety of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. The system uses frequency agility and pulse compression techniques and consists of three units: an antenna, receiver/transmitter and signal processor.

The unit's radar control is achieved via a dedicated control panel with on-screen controls, or by a central universal keyset. Features include integrated electronic support and electronic provision for sector blanking and staggered pulse repetition frequencies.

The flat-plate planar antenna array can be fitted into any radome -- structural, weatherproof enclosure -- and the latest variant of the radar system can be upgraded with a complete imaging capability that includes range profiling, ISAR, spotlight SAR, and strip-map SAR.

The radar system will be integrated into CASA/IPTN CN-235, which is a medium-range twin-engined transport plane that first took off in the 1980s. The aircraft in its variants is still used in substantial numbers by Spain, Turkey, Indonesia and South Korea and by other countries worldwide in smaller numbers.

Telephonics says its high-technology engineering and manufacturing capabilities provide integrated information, communication and sensor system solutions to military and commercial markets worldwide.

The company specializes in aircraft intercommunication systems, wireless communication systems, radars, identification friend or foe products, integrated security systems, air traffic management systems, aerospace electronics, and the performance of threat and radar system analyses.

Griffon Corp., which has headquarters in New York, is a diversified management and holding company.