AN/SPQ-9A, (sometimes pronounced as "spook nine"), is a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

multi-purpose surface search and

fire control Fire control is the practice of reducing the heat output of a fire, reducing the area over which the fire exists, or suppressing or extinguishing the fire by depriving it of fuel, oxygen, or heat (see fire triangle). Fire prevention and control ...

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

used with the Mk-86 gun fire-control system (MK86 GFCS). It is a two dimensional surface-search radar, meaning it provides only range and bearing but not

elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § Vert ...

. It is intended primarily to detect and track targets at sea level, on the surface of the water for either gun fire engagement or navigation. It can however, also detect and track low

altitude Altitude or height (also sometimes known as depth) is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The exact definition and reference datum varies according to the context ...

(below 2000 ft) air targets.

Service

Initially tested on the , it was also deployed on s, s, s, s, s, s, s, and

National Security Cutter The Legend-class cutter, also known as the National Security Cutter (NSC) and Maritime Security Cutter, Large, is the largest active patrol cutter class of the United States Coast Guard. Entering into service in 2008, the Legend-class is the la ...

s of the

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...

. It was fitted to the

German Navy The German Navy (, ) is the navy of Germany and part of the unified ''Bundeswehr'' (Federal Defense), the German Armed Forces. The German Navy was originally known as the ''Bundesmarine'' (Federal Navy) from 1956 to 1995, when ''Deutsche Mari ...

's s as part of the Type 103B upgrade in the 1980s.

SPQ-9B

The SPQ-9A is being replaced on all ''Ticonderoga''-class cruisers and ''Arleigh Burke''-class destroyers by the SPQ-9B, which provides twice the range and improved range resolution. This replacement is being done as a part of the United States Navy's Cruiser Modernization program to extend the life of the existing ships. The new SPQ-9B will be a part of the Mk 160 Mod 11 Gun Computer System of the Mk 34 Gun Weapon System. The first operational evaluation of the SPQ-9B was on in October 2002. It is to be installed on CVN-68, LPD-17, CG-47, WMSL-750, LHD-1, and LHA-6 ship classes. The system is X-band and the antenna consists of dual planar arrays mounted back-to-back under a radome. Flight III DDG-51 destroyers are also planned to have the SPQ-9B.

Gallery

Image:USS Norton Sound (AVM-1) leaves the Long Beach Naval Shipyard for gunnery trials, circa in 1969 (6454886).jpg, ''Norton Sound'' during Mk-86 testing, carrying AN/SPQ-9.

References

External links

NAVAIR warfighters encyclopedia, AN/SPQ-9A

* ttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/systems/an-spq-9.htm GlobalSecurity.org AN/SPQ-9 Radar Sea radars Military radars of the United States Northrop Grumman radars {{US-navy-stub