AN/TPQ-53 Quick Reaction Capability Radar

AN/TPQ-53 phased array radar

AN/TPQ-53 Quick Reaction Capability Radar is a mobile active electronically scanned array counter-battery radar system manufactured by Lockheed Martin.

The radar is specifically designed to locate the firing positions of both rocket and mortar launchers. The AN/TPQ-53 has a maximum detection range of 38 miles / 60 km and has an operating frequency of 2 - 4 GHz.

Nomenclature

Per the Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), the nomenclature AN/TPQ-53 is thus derived:

  • "AN/" originally indicated Army/Navy (Marines), but is now used to indicate the JETDS system.[1]
  • "T" for 'transportable', indicating it is carried by a vehicle but is not an integral part of said vehicle (compare with 'V' for vehicle-mounted).
  • "P" indicating a radar.
  • "Q" for a special-purpose/multipurpose radar, in this case counter-battery.
  • "53" is the model number of this radar within the TPQ radar family.

History

The TPQ-53 radar's delivery on 2 July 2009 followed its successful live-fire performance testing against indirect fire from mortars, artillery and rockets from a simulated enemy. The system has been tested and approved by the US Army. TPQ-53 radar systems will replace the aging TPQ-36 and TPQ-37 medium-range radars now in the Army's inventory. In addition to its counter-fire and counter-drone missions,[2]

Prior to September 2011 This system was known as EQ-36 Counterfire Target Acquisition Radar.[3]

In June 2013 the United States Army exercised a contract option to finish out the total production of 51 systems.[4] After a contract award 24 April 2017 has completed production, the Army will hold more than 170 such systems.[5] In April 2020 the first GaN based AN/TPQ-53 was delivered to the U.S. Army[6]

After Russian-backed separatists started operating tanks in Eastern Ukraine, the U.S. started sending military items to Ukraine, including 20 AN/TPQ-53 radar systems in 2015. As a result, Ukraine's units thus equipped had casualty rates decline from 47 percent to around 18 percent. Ukrainian combat expertise with the system led to their providing training to U.S. forces.[7]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Designations Of U.S. Military Electronic And Communications Equipment". www.designation-systems.net.
  2. ^ Army Q-53 Radar Can Now Stop Drone Attacks[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ Fein, Geoff (March 2012). "Weapon Finding Radars". Jane's International Defence Review: 37.
  4. ^ "TPQ-53 Counterfire Radars: Incoming Where?". Defense Industry Daily.
  5. ^ Lockheed Martin. "Protecting the Soldier: U.S. Army Orders More Q-53 Counterfire Radars from Lockheed Martin". www.prnewswire.com.
  6. ^ "First Q-53 Radar Equipped with Gallium Nitride Delivered to U.S. Army". Archived from the original on 2020-05-06.
  7. ^ "Here’s what you need to know about the US aid package to Ukraine that Trump delayed," September 25, 2019, Defense News, retrieved February 7, 2022