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Russia will supply Cuba with radar equipment intended for the management of civil air traffic, under an agreement reached between Cuban authorities and the Obukhov plant, a company located in St. Petersburg that is part of the Russian aerospace defense consortium Almaz-Antey.
The information was released by the official Russian agency TASS, which cited the press service of the manufacturing company.
According to the report, Havana will receive several sets of the Aurora-2 monopulse secondary radar, a system designed to monitor air traffic and support the operation of civil aircraft in national airspace.
"The Obukhov plant will produce and supply air traffic management equipment to the Republic of Cuba. According to the concluded agreement, Havana will receive several sets of Aurora-2 monopulse secondary radar to ensure the organization of civil aircraft flights," the company stated as reported by TASS.
The contract specifies that the first units of the Aurora-2 system will be delivered in 2026.
Later, the radars will be installed at various points across Cuban territory with the aim of fully covering the island's airspace.
In addition to supplying the equipment, the Russian plant will also take on other tasks associated with the project, such as training Cuban personnel and the initial maintenance of the systems.
"For their part, the specialists from the plant will support our Cuban colleagues at all stages of the contract," stated Mijaíl Podvyaznikov, Deputy General Director of the Almaz-Antey air defense consortium and General Director of the Obukhov plant.
The executive assured that the company has "extensive experience in the implementation of air traffic management projects" and expressed confidence in "the high quality and reliability of the equipment provided."
The agreements for the supply were finalized during a visit by a Cuban delegation to St. Petersburg, which included a tour of the Obukhov plant facilities.
During the meeting, the visitors received information about the technological advancements of the Aurora-2 radar and other developments related to civil aviation.
According to the company, the technologies used in the manufacturing of the system - including waterproofing processes for electronic components - are designed to ensure stable operation in humid oceanic climates, such as that of the Caribbean.
What is the Aurora-2 radar?
The Aurora-2 is a multimode digital monitoring station for air traffic, used as a radar information source for aerodromes and regional centers within air traffic control systems.
The team provides 360-degree coverage and can detect aircraft at a maximum distance of up to 465 kilometers, as well as determine their coordinates and process information transmitted by the planes, such as altitude, identification, and other flight data.
Unlike primary radars, which detect aircraft by bouncing waves off their fuselage, the Aurora-2 is a secondary radar, meaning it relies on the active response of the aircraft's transponder to obtain detailed information.
The system has certifications from the Interstate Aviation Committee and the Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia for use in air traffic management systems.
A civil system with military use potential
Although the radar is primarily designed for civil air navigation, specialists have pointed out that some of its interrogation modes have military origins.
The system supports RBS A/C/1/2 modes and Mode S. Modes 1 and 2, used in specific military environments, allow for the identification of missions and tactical platforms in shared airspace, which paves the way for a potential dual-use of the technology.
The deployment of Russian radar technology comes amidst an uptick in recent reports of U.S. reconnaissance flights near Cuban airspace and escalating tensions between Havana and Washington.
On the other hand, the supply of these aircraft comes at a time of genuine crisis for aviation on the island.
Since February, air traffic to Cuba has been severely affected by the lack of aviation fuel at Cuban airports and by the reduction of flight frequencies from several international airlines.
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