Solid State Phased Array Radar System: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:05, 12 December 2023

Revision as of 17:12, 12 December 2023

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The Solid State Phased Array Radar System began replacing PAVE PAWS when the first AN/FPS-115 face was taken off-line for the radar upgrade. New [[AN/FPS-123]] Early Warning Radars became operational in (Beale) and (Cape Cod) in each base's existing PAVE PAWS "Scanner Building".<ref name=HAER>{{Cite report |title=Photographs [and<nowiki>]</nowiki> Written Historical and Descriptive Data: Cape Cod Air Station Technical Facility/Scanner Building and Power Plant |url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/ma/ma1600/ma1633/data/ma1633data.pdf |access-date=2014-06-10 |quote=Technical Facility/Scanner Building (HAER No. MA-151-A), which houses the AN/FPS-1152 radar and related equipment… PAVE PAWS Site 1 … AN/FSS-7…designed by [[Avco|Avco Electronics Division]]… The first two PAVE PAWS sites in Massachusetts and California represented the first two-faced phased array radars deployed by the U.S. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715034251/http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/ma/ma1600/ma1633/data/ma1633data.pdf |archive-date=2014-07-15 }}</ref>

[[RAF Fylingdales|The UK]] and [[Clear Air Force Station|Alaska]] BMEWS stations became SSPARS radar stations when their respective [[Raytheon AN/FPS-126 Solid State Phased Array Radar|AN/FPS-126]] radar <ref name=Radomes>{{Cite web |title=AN/FPS-115, AN/FPS-120, AN/FPS-123, AN/FPS-126 |url=http://www.radomes.org/museum/equip/fps-115.html |publisher=Radomes.org |access-date=2014-06-11}}</ref> and 2001 [[Raytheon AN/FPS-120 Solid State Phased Array Radar|AN/FPS-120]] became operational.<ref name=CRU>{{cite web|url=http://radomes.org/museum/documents/BMEWSSite2ClearAKnewradar032001.html|title=Raytheon completes upgrades to BMEWS radar in Alaska - 16 Mar 2001}}</ref> In 2007, 100 owners/trustees of amateur radio repeaters near AN/FPS-123 radars were notified to lower their power output to mitigate interference,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.w5yi.org/ama_news_article.php?id=191|title=W5YI |publisher=w5yi.org}}</ref> and AN/FPS-123s were part of the [[Air Force Space Surveillance System]] by 2009.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Chatters |first1=Maj Edward P IV |last2=Crothers |first2=Maj Brian J. |year=2009 |title=AU-18 Space Primer |url=http://aupress.maxwell.af.mil/digital/pdf/book/AU-18.pdf |chapter=Chapter 19: Space Surveillance Network |chapter-url=http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/space/au-18-2009/au-18_chap19.pdf |publisher=Air University |page=252 |access-date=2014-06-06 |quote=Perimeter Acquisition Vehicle Entry Phased-Array Weapons System (PAVE PAWS)}}</ref> [[BAE Systems]] began a 2007 contract for SSPARS maintenance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spacenews.com/article/military-space/39693bae-systems-to-continue-maintaining-sspars-radar-network-for-us-air|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140319131750/http://www.spacenews.com/article/military-space/39693bae-systems-to-continue-maintaining-sspars-radar-network-for-us-air|archive-date=March 19, 2014|title=BAE Systems To Continue Maintaining SSPARS Radar Network for U.S. Air Force - SpaceNews.com|date=3 March 2014}}</ref> The SSPARS radar electronics was subsequently upgraded, e.g., the Beale radar<ref name="MDA"/> and the FylingalesFylingdales FPS-126 each became an [[AN/FPS-132 Upgraded Early Warning Radar]] (UEWR)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mostlymissiledefense.com/2013/08/07/u-s-to-sell-large-early-warning-radar-to-qatar-august-7-2013/|title=U.S. to Sell Large Early Warning Radar to Qatar (August 7, 2013) (corrected February 10, 2014)|date=7 August 2013}}</ref> by Raytheon.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fylingdales |url=http://www.raytheon.co.uk/ourcompany/facilities/fylingdales/index.html |publisher=Raytheon.co.uk |access-date=2014-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311182300/http://www.raytheon.co.uk/ourcompany/facilities/fylingdales/index.html |archive-date=2014-03-11 }}</ref> The Beale AN/FPS-123 was upgraded to a Raytheon '''AN/FPS-132 (UEWR)''' with capabilities to operate in the [[Ground-based Midcourse Defense]] (GMD) ABM system—the Beale UEWR included "Avionics", "T/R modules",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/topstories/Northrop-Grumman-Sets-TR-Module-Standard_73016.html#.U5cyXUnnb4Y|title=Avionics Magazine :: Northrop Grumman Sets T/R Module Standard}}</ref> "FEX/TTG", "BSG", "Signal Processor", and other changes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/logistics_material_readiness/contracts/HQ0006-01-C-0001.pdf|title=ALERT|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130713032135/http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/logistics_material_readiness/contracts/HQ0006-01-C-0001.pdf|archive-date=2013-07-13}}</ref> After additional UEWR installations for GMD at Thule Site J and the UK (contracted 2003),<ref name="radomes.org">http://www.radomes.org/museum/documents/CCAFS%20Tri-fold%20Brochure_10Jan08.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref> a 2012 ESD/XRX [[Request for Information]] for replacement, and remote operation, of the remaining "PAVE PAWS/BMEWS/PARCS systems" at Cape Cod, Alaska, and North Dakota was issued.<ref name=FBO2f3973>{{Citation |format=Solicitation |date=January 23, 2012 |title=PAVE PAWS, BMEWS, and PARCS Radar Systems |url=https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=2f3973d6a7d33a330f489cad72702494&tab=core&_cview=0 |number=1262012 |publisher=FedBizOpps.gov |access-date=2014-06-11 |quote=The PAVE PAWS and BMEWS Beam Steering Unit (BSU), Receiver Exciter (REX), Receiver Beam Former (RBF), Array Group Driver (AGD), Radio Frequency Monitor (RFM), Frequency Time Standard (FTS), and the Corporate Feed (CFD) were built for these five radars in the late 1970s and were upgraded in the 1980s. … The PARCS Signal Processing Group (SPG) has received only "band-aid" fixes since the site's Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in 1975}}</ref> The Alaska AN/FPS-132 was contracted in fall 2012<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/BMEWS-Radar-Upgrades-Clear-AFS-Goes-from-Warning-to-BMD-Targeting-07532/|title=PAVE PAWS Radar Upgrades: Clear AFS Goes from Warning to BMD Targeting}}</ref> and the Cape Cod installation in 2013.<ref name="MDA"/>

==System overview==