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AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radar

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AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radar

AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder weapon locating system is a transportable radar developed in the mid-late 1970s by Hughes Aircraft Company,[1] manufactured by Northrop Grumman and ThalesRaytheonSystems. After testing the system achieved initial operational capability (IOC) in May 1982. The Pathfinder is a "weapon-locating radar", designed to detect and track incoming mortar, artillery and rocket fire determining the point of origin for counter-battery fire. It is currently in service at battalion and higher levels in the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, Australian Army, Portuguese Army, Turkish Army, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is typically trailer-mounted and towed.

History

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Engineering development of the TPQ-36 began October 1973. Although full scale production was approved in December 1977,[1] the system did not achieve full scale production until August 1978.[2] Low rate initial production (LRIP) began in December 1976 ending in Februrary 1981.[2] Total crew size required for missions and operational requirements for extended periods was initially estimated at 8 personnel.[3]

The AN/TPQ-36(V)7 upgrade to the Firefinder added a Modular Azimuth Position System (MAPS). MAPS has a north seeking laser gyrocompass and a microprocessor controlled Honeywell H-726 inertial navigation system. Prior Firefinder systems used a survey team to find site latitude, longitude, and direction to North. With MAPS, reaction time was limited only by the time taken to set up the site, since system geo-position was pre-loaded before sortie deployment. Crew size was reduced from 8 to 6.[4]

Firefinder (V)8 extended system performance, improved operator survivability and lowered life cycle cost. Greater processing power and the addition of a low noise amplifier to the radar antenna improved detection range by up to 50% and performance accuracy against certain threats.[citation needed]

Operations/maintainers/specifications

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Delivery of two Q-36 radar systems to Lviv, Ukraine on 14 November 2015

The AN/TPQ-36 is a passive electronically scanned array (PESA) electronically steered radar, meaning the radar antenna does not actually move while in operation. The radar antenna may however be moved manually if required. The system may also be operated in a friendly fire mode to determine the accuracy of counterbattery return fire, or for conducting radar registration or mean point of impact calibrations for friendly artillery.

It can simultaneously locate up to 10 weapons including mortars, artillery, and rocket launchers, on first round and perform high-burst, datum-plane, and impact registrations. It can be used to adjust friendly fire, interfaces with tactical fire and predicts the impact of hostile projectiles.

Its maximum range is 15 miles (24 km) with an effective range of 11 miles (18 km) for artillery and 15 miles (24 km) for rockets. Its azimuth sector is 90°. It operates in the X-band at 32 frequencies. Peak transmitted power is 23 kW, min.

It features permanent storage for 99 targets, has a field exercise mode and uses a digital data interface.

Manufacturers

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Northrop Grumman manufactures the AN/TPQ-36(V)8 Firefinder radar. Before its acquisition by Raytheon, the Hughes Aircraft Co. developed the TPQ-36 Firefinder radar at its facility at Fullerton, California, and manufactured it at its plant in Forest, Mississippi.

Nomenclature

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In accordance with the Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), the nomenclature "AN/TPQ-36" designation represents the 36th design of an Army-Navy electronic device for transportable radar special purpose (multipurpose). Thus:

  • "AN/" indicates Army/Navy(Marines).
  • "T" for transportable, indicating it is carried by a vehicle but 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 counterbattery.
  • "36" is the 36th version of this family of TPQ radar systems.

Users

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b O'Connor, Kairall & Birdseye 1984, p. 50.
  2. ^ a b O'Connor, Kairall & Birdseye 1984, p. 66.
  3. ^ O'Connor, Kairall & Birdseye 1984, p. 56.
  4. ^ "Firefinder AN/TPQ-36(V)7 Block IIB". Preliminary Design Review. Sacramento Army Depot: U. S. Army Depot Command: System Integration. 8 January 1991.
  5. ^ "Raytheon Australia contracted for Life of Type Extension for AN/TPQ-36 Weapon Locating Radars". Raytheon Australia - News Release Archive. 20 April 2007. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  6. ^ Natalucci, Matteo (15 February 2019). "Royal Netherlands Army orders Thales Multi Mission Radars". Janes.com. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Staff Writer (26 February 2018). "Raytheon / Hughes AN/TPQ-36 Firefinding Radar". Military Factory. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  8. ^ "India signs 'historic' US arms deal". BBC News. 18 April 2002. Archived from the original on 14 April 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2025. The Pentagon said the sale would not affect the military balance with Pakistan, which deploys the AN/TPQ-36
  9. ^ "Ukraine Monitors Cease-Fire Violations With U.S.-Supplied Radars". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Reuters, VOA. 27 December 2017. Archived from the original on 27 December 2017.
  10. ^ US Embassy Press Office, Kyiv (16 November 2015). "US delivers two Q-36 Counter Battery Radar Systems to Ukraine". US Army. Archived from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  11. ^ Wasif, Naqi (3 March 2022). "Ukraine conflict: Netherlands to supply weapon locating radars to Ukraine". Jane's Defence Weekly. ISSN 0265-3818. OCLC 613908494. Archived from the original on 23 March 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2025. The Netherlands Ministry of Defence (MoD) is to supply two Squire manportable 2D ground surveillance radars and five AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder weapon locating radars to Ukraine
  12. ^ "$100 Million in Additional Security Assistance for Ukraine". Defense.gov. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  13. ^ "Pentagon holds briefing as Biden announces additional $800M in security assistance to Ukraine". YouTube. 13 April 2022.

Bibliography

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