Pakistan Air Force gets TPS-77 latest American radar system

[EagleEyes]

Pakistan Air Force gets latest American radar system
English_Xinhua 2008-04-07 19:50:45 Print

ISLAMABAD, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) said on Monday that it has got the latest generation of American radar system.

The TPS-77 radars from Lockheed Martin Corp. "incorporate the state-of-the-art technology and belong to the latest generation," said a PAF statement.

The TPS-77 radars, handed over to the PAF at a ceremony in southern Pakistan's Karachi, have the unique capability to provide valley coverage and long range detection capabilities.

"With the induction of these systems, Pakistan will have the capability to curb the drug traffickers' unrestricted movement into the borders from its neighboring countries," the statement added.

Pakistan Air Force gets latest American radar system_English_Xinhua

 

[EagleEyes]

The AN/TPS-77, formerly known as the TPS-117, is a mobile, active phased array, long range, L-band, 3D solid-state radar designed to perform airspace surveillance missions. It shares about 80-90% Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) and maintenance activity with the AN/FPS-117 fixed position radar system, and similar performance than the FPS-117 and the TPS-59 radars. The TPS-77 incorporates COTS technology.

The TPS-77 radar can be deployed in a single C-130 and by only two medium trucks. It can be operated by a crew of 6 and set up can be done in less than 30 minutes. The radar system provides detection and tracking against targets ranges out to 280 miles (+450 km) and at elevations up to 100,000-ft (30,000).

On August 23, 2004, the US Air Force awarded Lockheed-Martin a $14.7 million contract for the supply of a second AN/TPS-77 transportable radar system for the Pacific Alaska Range Complex, the largest supersonic training area in the United States. The Air Force will control the two radars remotely from Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks. The radar system will be supplied with a straight-forward software upgrade that enables tactical ballistic missile tracking. The radar was deployed in September 2006.

On 31 May 2005, the Royal Danish Air Force awarded Lockheed-Martin a $40 million contract for the supply of two long range TPS-77 transportable radar systems along with logistics services for a four years period. These radars were aimed at improving air surveillance over Denmark and surrounding seas. By default, these two systems will be stationed at fixed sites.

In early November 2005 the US Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin an $89 million contract for the production and delivery of six long range AN/TPS-77 transportable radar systems to Pakistan. The TPS-77 military items were provided to Pakistan under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. TPS-77s were ordered in support of Pakistan's air defense operations.

AN/TPS-77 / TPS-117

 

[EagleEyes]

The AN/TPS-77 is the latest configuration of the world's most successful 3D, solid-state radar design. This L-band, tactical transportable radar provides continuous high-quality 3-D surveillance on aircraft targets out to 250 nautical miles and shares commonality with the AN/FPS-117 radar with regard to maintenance activity and Line Replaceable Units (LRUs). There are 127 AN/FPS-117 systems operational in 14 countries and many have operated for years completely unmanned in remote areas and in a wide range of operational environments.

Easy to transport and deploy. Pakistani armed forces has a logistical advantage over its adversery by moving this radar to remote locations via its C-130 air crafts. the Lockheed Martin AN/TPS-77 all-solid-state, 3-D long-range surveillance radar meets today’s expeditionary forces’ needs for performance and reliability. It provides superior long-range detection, especially in weather and clutter, and 360-degree azimuth coverage.

Radar has the flexibility to meet the evolving theater ballistic missile (TBM) threat. Field commanders can count on accurate target data at ranges up to 250 nautical miles and elevations up to 100,000 feet from a radar that can operate 24 hours a day, even with no on-site personnel. Simplified logistics and remote maintenance-monitoring capabilities reduce contribute to low cost of ownership. The system’s sophisticated performance monitoring and fault location system automatically recalibrates the radar to adjust for changes in the environment and component failures.

The AN/TPS-77 offers the proven features such as

* Solid-state, active phased array
* Superior performing L-band operation
* Modular, commercial-off-the-shelf components
* Advanced pencil-beam architecture
* Simplified maintenance
* 99.7% operational availability
* No onsite technicians required

 

[masijames]

AN/TPS-77 rader from Lockheed-Martin pakisstan air forces received today
what you guys think about this rader can US air forces jam this rader if the want to

 

[fatman17]

Pakistan Air Force gets latest American radar system

ISLAMABAD, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) said on Monday that it has got the latest generation of American radar system.

The TPS-77 radars from Lockheed Martin Corp. "incorporate the state-of-the-art technology and belong to the latest generation," said a PAF statement.

The TPS-77 radars, handed over to the PAF at a ceremony in southern Pakistan's Karachi, have the unique capability to provide valley coverage and long range detection capabilities.

"With the induction of these systems, Pakistan will have the capability to curb the drug traffickers' unrestricted movement into the borders from its neighboring countries," the statement added.

 

[waz]

This is fantastic news. These radars are the next generation after the AN/FPS-117 system and give our air surveillance and defence ability a massive boost. Now working in conjunction with our AWACS this 360 degree phased array radar which tracks up to 100,000 feet and at a range of 480km, 24 hours a day really does make our skies secure. The next step like a sophisticated SAM network.


Two other nations have ordered these systems although in much smaller numbers [two each].

Denmark
$40M from Denmark for Surveillance Radars

Latvia
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summa...86-33602179_ITM

 

[EagleEyes]

Whats are the best SAMs for Pakistan in the market?

Is FT-2000 enough? Any updates on it?

 

[batmannow]

i guss, this is the best week for pakistans defence, out of many years. great work by PERSIDENT MUSHARAF,,,,, long live pakistan & long live musharaf.

 

[HAIDER]

How many got, one is not enough. Atleast this will tackle Indian front line fighters, all Pakistan need now SA long range missile. Because if i am not wrong Pakistan can't shoot downPlane if its flying over 40 miles above. (SU30)
What happened to VERA? . Its been inducted or return after testing?. It was in Pakistan for testing purpose.

 

[EagleEyes]

How many got, one is not enough. Atleast this will tackle Indian front line fighters, all Pakistan need now SA long range missile. Because if i am not wrong Pakistan can't shoot downPlane if its flying over 40 miles above. (SU30)
What happened to VERA? . Its been inducted or return after testing?. It was in Pakistan for testing purpose.

We will get six of these radars. VERA is being used by the PA.

 

[JK!]

Whats are the best SAMs for Pakistan in the market?

Is FT-2000 enough? Any updates on it?

FT2000 is the anti AWAC version of the HQ9 missile. It is certainly the most available long range SAM because of relations with china but I have doubts as whenever I read about it the main issue is that it lags behind systems like PAC 3 and S400 in terms of modernisation.

However, I think it is still the best thing that is available to Pakistan and I also quite like the KS1 system.

American systems like SLAMRAAM and Patriot have been offered but the issue is cost.

 

[MastanKhan]

Hi,

Now that we have this long range radar system, we also need long range air defence missile system which can attack targets beyond 200 plus miles. This missile system should have been purchased awhile ago to have coincided with the installation of the radar system.

It is the only way to counter the IAF---the manpads and seven kilometer range Anza mark111 are like pea shooters---it is like the little dutch boy holding off the floods---. The 20----30 miles range missiles are good---but they ain't going to stop the enemy---the 200 plus mile missile are going to make the difference---something that can engage the enemy on their side of the border is a deterrent---it is a force mulitplier---. You want to shoot the enemy down way inside of its borders.

Case in point---the 1973 ramazan war---egypt israel---in the initial stages of the war---the IAF (israel) was decimated, because they were flying into the air defence umbrella of the egyptian ground to air missile defence system---the egyptian missiles were picking out the israeli planes out of the air at their discretion---without any air support, the israeli army was being slaughtered---.

As it happens in any war---at some stage of the war, the generals start believing in themselves more---and against all advice given to them---they decided to move farther into the sinai and away from the anti aircraft missile battery cover the egyptian armour was decimated by the IAF planes. The egyptian air force could not fly their mig 21's, because as good the mig 21 is, it is a gas hog with barely enough time to loiter around 1/2 haout as compared to 3 plus hours loiter time of the phantom.

I guess the egyptian generals had not read about the 'BATTLE OF LONGEWALA'.

Pakistan is at a geographical disadvantage when it come to war---because most of its major cities are very close to the border as compared to india---its major transportation arteries like---railways, road networks are not too far away from the dividing line---with the presence of smart bombs and smart weapons---you need to take the enemy on, farther possible as much as you can from the target and the border---and indeed that is where the awacs come into the picture---but awacs need a force multiplier---and that is where your high quality long range air defence missile batteries come into the picture.

 

[JK!]

Best bet is the HQ9 then. Slant Range is 200km at max altitude 30km.

Here is the criticism from sinodefence:

"The HQ-9 was initially developed to replace the PLA’s bulk of obsolete HQ-2 (Chinese copy of the Soviet/Russian SA-2 Guideline), but the slow progress in the development forced the PLA to purchase the S-300PMU missile from Russia. By the time the HQ-9 was ready for operational deployment in the late 1990s, the missile was already behind foreign air-defence missiles such as U.S. PAC3 and Russian S-300PMU2 in terms of technology and performance. Only a small number of the HQ-9A are being deployed by the PLA for operational trial and evaluations."

The other issue would be integration as the radar is American but HQ9 is a Chinese system.

 

[MastanKhan]

Hi,

HQ 9 S 300 or S 400, pakistan needs these air defence missiles more than they need anything else. Even though pakistan signed up for a spada 2000 system just recently, I don't think that it is good enough. It may be considered a third line of defence. When you have first line of air defence missiles with a range of 250 miles and second line of defence missiles in the 70---150 miles range, a 20--30 miles range missile is good to have , but it also makes it scary that is this all we can get. If this coming spada 2000 be the strongest link in our chain of air defence missiles, what is our weakest link of the system. Pakistan has some serious defeciency of high class missiles systems to protect some of its sensitive installations. Even though the sapda is compatible with newer versions of the radar controlled oerlikon guns and other short range missile systems

Most of the systems are out dated, obsolete and no match for the IAF. Oerlikon guns are great, but they are good against low flying slower speed aircraft and helicopters---manpads are no good either---crotale batteries have been upgraded but what can they do---all these weapon systems that I am talking about, are not going to stop the IAF strike aircraft from delivering their goods on the target untill and unless we have a serious long range system, that the IAF has to combat before it gets within the range of the short range systems. The IAF needs to be stopped 50 miles away from the targets if it can be---because once they are close to the target, they will deliver their goods and what happens afterwards is QUE SERA SERA. Once the bombs are dropped, the target neutralized, the pilot has done his job---he may live or he may die---at that moment of bomb release, he cares less.

What it comes down to is, that 10 years of sanctions hurt a lot---you can not overcome the shortcomings in a five years time frame.

 

[fatman17]

FT2000 is the anti AWAC version of the HQ9 missile. It is certainly the most available long range SAM because of relations with china but I have doubts as whenever I read about it the main issue is that it lags behind systems like PAC 3 and S400 in terms of modernisation.

However, I think it is still the best thing that is available to Pakistan and I also quite like the KS1 system.

American systems like SLAMRAAM and Patriot have been offered but the issue is cost.

FT2000 has been abandoned by the chinese due to technical problems and technology advancements in the west.