Fully digital 3D air defense radars are to be developed and delivered to the air force of Kazakhstan under an agreement with ThalesRaytheonSystems.

The company reported it signed the memorandum of understanding for its Ground Master 400 long-range air defense radars earlier this week at the KADEX defense exhibition in Astana, the capital of the former Soviet republic.

The company's joint venture with SKTB Granit -- Granit Thales Electronics – will conduct the work.

"We are delighted to be able to exploit the operational advantages of this radar system, which will give Kazakhstan a long-range air surveillance capability and increase protection of our key assets," said Kazakh Deputy Minister of Defense Okas Bazargaliyevich Saparov.

"This memorandum of understanding between Granit, Thales and ThalesRaytheonSystems to supply GM400 radars illustrates the collaboration underway for several years now between us in Kazakhstan," said Philippe Duhamel, chief executive officer of ThalesRaytheonSystems. "The GM400s will boost Kazakhstan's air defense capabilities, giving the Kazakh Air Force the ability to detect a broad array of threats from low to high altitude and thus assure extended air surveillance over its territory."

An initial GM400 radar was previously ordered by Kazakhstan and delivered recently. It can be operated in the field or in a fixed position under a radome.

ThalesRaytheonSystems said integration of the next radars will take place at the Granit Thales Electronics facility outside Almaty, Kazakhstan, as part of a technology transfer accord.