FIAR


FIAR S.p.A. was an Italian avionics and radar manufacturer; the Eurofighter's current radar contains its technology.

History

It was formed on 31 July 1941, as a spin off from Compagnia Generale di Elettricità, and also known as CGE-FIAR. It made repeater transmitters for RAI, the national broadcasting company of Italy.
In the 1980s it formed the ELIRADAR consortium with SMA. It was a prime contractor for some avionics in the Panavia Tornado; Italy took a 15% share in the Panavia Aircraft project and planned to buy 100 of the aircraft.
Up until the late 1980s, it had only produced radars built under licence. The first radar that it developed itself was the Grifo. The company was Italy's leading manufacturer of radar and infrared homing technology, notably for the MIM-23 Hawk missile. It made airborne and precision approach radar.

Ownership

It was a division of Alenia Aeronautica, later bought by Finmeccanica.

Products

Radar systems

It was headquartered in Lombardy in north-west Italy, with a factory in Baranzate near Bollate on the SP 233.