AN/FPS-95 “Cobra Mist”
Description of the radar set, tactical-technical characteristics
Figure 1: AN/FPS-95 “Cobra Mist”
Figure 1: AN/FPS-95 “Cobra Mist”, located in Suffolk, England
(52°06'23.1" N 1°34'55.6" W)
(© 2010 User:Hohum, Wikipedia)
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| frequency: | 6 … 40 MHz
(HF-Band) |
| pulse repetition time (PRT): | |
| pulse repetition frequency (PRF): | 10 … 160 Hz |
| pulsewidth (τ): | 250 … 6 000 µs |
| receiving time: | |
| dead time: | |
| peak power: | 3.5 MW |
| average power: | 300 kW |
| instrumented range: | 500 … 2 000 NM (≙ 920 … 3 700 km) |
| range resolution: | |
| accuracy: | |
| beamwidth: | 7° |
| hits per scan: | |
| antenna rotation: | |
| MTBCF: | |
| MTTR: | |
AN/FPS-95 “Cobra Mist”
AN/FPS-95 “Cobra Mist” (british designator: System 441A) was operating in HF-Band Over-The-Horizon radar. It operated from the late 1960’s until 1973 and was located in Suffolk, England.
The antenna consisted of 18 individual log-periodic antennas which were arranged radially like spokes in a wheel from a central feed point. They consisted of 620 m long strings supported by masts from 13 m to 59 m high. The active dipole elements hanging from these strings were cross-mounted to provide both horizontal and vertical polarization. The antennas had a radial spacing of 8 degrees and 40 minutes and covered a bearing range of 19.5° to 110.5°. A large mesh screen was located under the antenna to improve conductivity for the ground wave transition. The antenna’s gain was 25 dB.
Nevertheless, due to a consistent and still unknown source of environmental noise, the radar never became fully operative leading to the shutting down of the project in 1973.