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Weapon locating radar - AN/TPQ-37

Long-Range Surveillance :

ThalesRaytheonSystems’ combat-proven AN/TPQ-37 Firefinder is the first radar capable of quickly locating long-range mortars, artillery, and rocket launchers, even beyond those weapons’ maximum effective ranges. After tracking a shell for only a few seconds, the AN/TPQ-37 weapon-locating radar can determine its point of origin. During a barrage - when myriad rockets and artillery shells are in the air - the radar pinpoints large numbers of enemy weapons and quickly relays precise location information for counterfire.

Defeats Enemy Firepower, Supports Friendly Weapons :

The AN/TPQ-37’s stationary antenna sweeps a rapid sequence of beams along the horizon, forming an electronic radar curtain over a 90º area. Any target penetrating the curtain triggers an immediate verification beam. On verification, an automatic tracking sequence
begins.
While tracking any single target, the radar continues scanning, locating and tracking others. The AN/TPQ-37 can locate up to 10 different weapons in seconds, at a maximum range of 50 km. When long-range surface-to-surface missiles must be located, a special 60º sector mode extends the AN/TPQ-37’s range. Friendly fire can then neutralize further fire from those weapons.
The AN/TPQ-37 also tracks, corrects, and improves the fire of friendly weapons with registration and adjustment data. It also identifies the impact location of hostile projectiles, allowing counterfire on highest priority targets.

Highly Mobile :

Like the smaller AN/TPQ-36 weapon-locating radar, the AN/TPQ-37 is highly mobile. The entire system can be setup or taken down and moved in minutes by a small crew. Its operation control shelter can be transported on a vehicle as small as a High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle - HMMWV.
The U.S. Army combines the AN/TPQ-37 with the AN/TPQ-36 to field an exceptionally accurate and mobile Firefinder weapon-locating system. The AN/TPQ-36 would be deployed near the battle line, with the AN/TPQ-37 farther back in friendly territory.

Powerful :

Artillery rounds are more difficult for radar to detect than mortar rounds, which have higher reflectivity and more vertical trajectories. The low radar cross-section of the artillery shell means higher power is required to detect it at long ranges, and extensively refined discriminants must be applied throughout the tracking process to achieve a high probability of location and an extremely low false-location rate.
Both the AN/TPQ-36 and -37 have high-performance clutter rejection, enabling them to pick up targets out of ground or sky clutter. In both areas, the AN/TPQ-37 is optimal for locating long-range mortar, artillery, and rocket projectiles.

Exceptionally Reliable :

ThalesRaytheonSystems’ Firefinder systems are designed to achieve high system availability, with 90 percent of all repairs being performed in the field. Mean-time-to-repair is 30 minutes.
The system features both off- and on-line diagnostic hardware, built-in test equipment, and automatic fault isolation to the replaceable unit level. When the diagnostics are operating off-line, the computer injects test signals and monitors the resulting functions. When operating on-line, a continuous automatic program runs system tests. In the event of failure, the computer performs fault isolation and prints out the problem description and remedial action.
The result is a system of exceptional availability with reduced maintenance costs and downtime, because most repairs can be done quickly in the field.

Block I Program Upgrades :

Under the Firefinder Block I program, ThalesRaytheonSystems designed, developed, qualified, integrated, documented, and supported reliability and performance improvements to the AN/TPQ-37 radar.
The upgrades facilitate radar loading and unloading on C-130 and C-141 aircraft, provide self-survey capability, and add a tracked suspension system.

Capabilities :

• Locates mortars, artillery, rocket launchers and missiles
• Locates 10 weapons simultaneously
• Locates targets on first round
• Performs high-burst, datum-plane and impact registrations
• Adjusts friendly fire
• Interfaces with tactical fire
• Predicts impact of hostile projectiles

Specifications :

• Maximum range : 50 km
• Effective range :
  • Artillery : 30 km
  • Rockets : 50 km

• Azimuth sector : 90°
• Frequency : S-band, 15 frequencies
• Prime power : 115/200 VAC, 400 Hz, 3-phase, 43 kW
• Peak transmitted power : 120 kW, min.

Features :

• Permanent storage for 99 targets
• Field exercise mode
• Digital data interface