The ASTOR system allows British Armed Forces commanders to know what is happening on the ground beyond the horizon, in near real time.
The system provides a 24-hour, all-weather intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability, using ground surveillance radars carried by high-altitude air platforms to down-link collected imagery to ground stations for analysis.
ASTOR can detect moving, fixed and static targets from long stand-off ranges, and thereby gives commanders accurate and timely intelligence information about the battlefield.
The system is designed to be interoperable with key coalition reconnaissance systems such as US Joint Surveillance and Target Acquisition System (JSTARS). It is a collaborative programme involving the MOD and a ten-year support contract from Raytheon Systems Limited.
The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) amended the project out of service date until no longer required to support Operation Herrick.
NOTE: The ASTOR Project was renamed the Sentinel Project. The term ASTOR will be retained by industry and therefore Sentinel refers to the UK implementation of the ASTOR system.
Page updated 29 September 2011