AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radar
Encyclopedia : A : AN : ANT : AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radar
The AN/TPQ-36 FIREFINDER is a mobile radar system manufactured by the Hughes Aircraft Company, later acquired by Raytheon. The system is a "weapon-locating radar", designed to detect and track incoming artillery and rocket fire to determine the point of origin for counterbattery fire. It is currently in service at brigade and higher levels in the United States Army and United States Marine Corps. The radar is typically trailer mounted and towed by a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) ("HUMVEE").
Operation
The AN/TPQ-36 is an electronically-steered radar, meaning the radar does not actually move while in operation. The radar scans a 90-degree sector for incoming rocket, artillery and mortar fire. Upon detecting a possible incoming round, the system verifies the contact before initiating a track sequence, continuing to search for new targets. The incoming round/rocket is tracked during its initial upward/launch trajectory (i.e., the linear portion of its flight path) prior to reaching apogee. A computer program analyzes the track data and then extrapolates the round's point of origin. This calculated point of origin is then reported to the operator with map coordinates, thus allowing friendly artillery to direct counterbattery fire towards the enemy artillery. The system has a reported range of up to 24 kilometers. The system may also be operated in a friendly fire mode to determine the accuracy of counterbattery return fire.
Nomenclature
Per the Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), the nomenclature AN/TPQ-36 is derived thusly:
- "AN/" indicating a system nomenclature derived from the JTEDS
- "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 radar, in this case counterbattery.
- "36" is an arbitrary numerical designator
Links
- [Raytheon fact sheet for the AN/TPQ-36]
- [RCS new upgrades for TPQ-36/37]
- [USMC fact file for the AN/TPQ-36]
- [Globalsecurity.org fact file for the AN/TPQ-36]
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