Patriot Radar AN/MPQ-53
Description of the radar set, tactical-technical characteristics
Figure 1: AN/MPQ-53 (© Raytheon Ltd.)
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| frequency: | G/H-band |
| pulse repetition time (PRT): | |
| pulse repetition frequency (PRF): | |
| pulsewidth (τ): | 0.4, 1.3, 2.0, 2.7 or 50 µs |
| receiving time: | |
| dead time: | |
| peak power: | 10 kW |
| average power: | |
| instrumented range: | 170 km |
| range resolution: | |
| accuracy: | |
| beamwidth: | |
| MTBCF: | |
| MTTR: | |
Patriot Radar AN/MPQ-53
PATRIOT is the abbreviaton of “Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept On Target”. The missile control radar AN/MPQ-53 is a frequency-agile multifunction G/H-band radar group which performs
- surveillance,
- Identification Friend-or-Foe (IFF),
- tracking and guidance, and
- Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) functions
entailed in the Patriot tactical air defence missile system. The antenna array is a 2.44 m diameter, 5,161-element phased-array planar configuration carried on a semi-trailer chassis. The antenna unit has separate arrays for target detection and tracking, missile guidance and IFF functions. The last of these tasks is carried out by an AN/TPX-46(V)7 interrogator, using a supplementary array adjacent the main circular search and track array on the antenna unit. Other supplementary arrays are for sidelobe cancellation and missile guidance signal reception.
The 3 to 170 km range radar performs its surveillance, tracking, guidance and Electronic Protective Measures (EPM) functions in a time-shared manner by using the system’s computer to generate action cycles that last in milliseconds. Up to 32 different radar configurations can be called up with the beams tailored for long-range, short range, horizon and clutter, guidance and EPM functions in terms of their power, waveform and physical dimensions. The data rate for each function can also be selected independently to give 54 different operational modes so that, for example, a long-range search can be conducted over a longer time period than a horizon search for low-altitude pop-up targets. None of the functions requires any given time interval which therefore allows a random sequence of radar actions at any one time, considerably adding to an attacker’s ECM problem. The search sector is 90° and the track capability is 120°.
The radar system has a capacity to track up to 100 targets and can provide missile guidance data for up to nine missiles.
AN/MPQ-53 (PAC-3) is also known as AN/MPQ-65.
