Initially known as the EQ-36 (E for enhanced), the AN/TPQ-53, or Q-53 for short, is a Lockheed Martin counterfire radar developed in 2007 in cooperation with SRC and quickly acquired and deployed downrange for force protection. Eighty-four such radars have been ordered to date by the US Army, Singapore having required six such systems through FMSS. The Q-53 can operate in 360° or 90° modes, the former providing a range detection of around 20 km against mortar, rockets and artillery. When used in the 90° mode it can pick firing positions at up to 60 km for rockets, 34 km for guns and 20 km for mortars. Mounted on a 5-tonne FMTV (which the energy station on tow), the Q-53 and its second truck carrying the control station and the spare generator, requires only four men compared to six for the Q-36 and 12 for the Q-37. American special forces also needed a counterfire radar, possibly compatible with airborne operations. Starting from the AN/TPQ-48 Lightweight Counter-Mortar Radar, SRCTec developed a more rugged version, the AN/TPQ-49 which is based on a non-rotating, electronically steered aerial with a 1.25-metre diameter that can be mounted on a tripod or on a tower. A warning is sent when an incoming round is detected, and as soon as sufficient data are collected to establish the point of origin this is sent to the C2 station. Heavier and installed on an Humvee, the AN/TPQ-50, also by SRCTec, maintains similar ranges but considerably increases accuracy, point of origin being located with a 50-metre error at 10 km, compared to the 75 metres at 5 km for the Q-49. A programme of record of the US Army, it has been deployed as a gap filler where bigger radars could not go.
The AN/TPQ-53 counterfire radar was developed in the late 2000s by Lockheed Martin and is in service with the US Army and Singapore. (Lockheed Martin)
The company is now proposing its AESA50 multi-mission radar with an electronically scanned array of over a 100 transmit/receive modules. Together with Lockheed Martin, SRC also developed the Multi Mission Radar (MMR), which currently is at prototype level. Capable of ±45° scan in azimuth and ±30° in elevation, and with an antenna rotation rate of 30 revolutions per minute, it can be used for air defence surveillance and air traffic control, fire control, as well as counterfire target acquisition. In the latter role the antenna is static, covering 90°, and can follow up to 100 projectiles simultaneously, providing a fire source location accuracy of 30 metres or 0.3% of the range. It can easily be installed on a Humvee-class vehicle. Both the Q-53 and Q-50 will be part of Army programmes that will run in FY14-18 to improve force protection. In late 2014 the US Marine Corps awarded Northrop Grumman a $207 million contract for low-rate initial production of the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR). Fitted with an active electronically scanned antenna based on gallium nitride transmit/receive modules, the new S-band 3D radar will provide the US Marine Corps with multiple functions, as it will ensure air surveillance, air defence, ground weapon locating and air traffic control capabilities, replacing in due time three in-service radars and the functionality of two retired types, namely the AN/TPQ36/37 artillery locating radar, the other being related to air defence and air operations. The US Marine Corps plans to field it in three blocks, Block 1 as short-range air defence/surveillance radar, Block 2 addressing counterfire targeting missions, and Block 4 expeditionary airport
The AN/TPQ-49 is a counter-mortar radar based on a non-rotating aerial developed by SRC for US special forces units. (SRC)
An AN/TPQ-50 radar installed over a Humvee; this radar is mainly used as a gap filler to cover dead sectors where bigger radars cannot be deployed. (SRC)
surveillance. Block 3 will feature technical enhancements of the air missions. The radar consists of three major subsystems, the trailer-mounted radar equipment group towed by an MTVR which hosts the power equipment group. The communications equipment group on the other hand is installed on an M1151A1 Humvee. The late 2014 contract covers four systems with deliveries expected in 2016/17. Additional low-rate production contracts are anticipated, followed by multiyear, full-rate production items around 2020. On the other side of the pond one of the most popular counterbattery radars is the Saab Arthur. This has scored orders from at least a dozen customers including the Czech
Compendium Artillery 2015
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