The AN/TPS-43 is a transportable air search

3D radar 3-D, 3D, or 3d may refer to: Science, technology, and mathematics Relating to three-dimensionality * Three-dimensional space ** 3D computer graphics, computer graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data ** 3D film, a ...

produced in the United States originally by Westinghouse Defense and Electronic Division, which was later purchased by Northrop-Grumman. It is used primarily for early warning and tactical control, often for control over an associated

surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-aircraft syst ...

battery or airfield. It is designed to be transported in two M35 cargo trucks and easily air-transportable on two pallets. The TPS-43 uses multiple feed horns and an

organ-pipe scanner An organ-pipe scanner is a system used in some radar systems to provide scanning in azimuth or elevation without moving the antenna. It consists of a series of waveguides and feed horns arranged in front of a shaped reflector, each one positioned ...

to rapidly scan its pencil beam vertically while the entire antenna system rotates to scan in azimuth. By comparing the relative power of a return in one or more of the vertical feed horns, the target altitude can be determined. Since its introduction in 1966 it has undergone many modifications. In later versions, the organ-pipe was replaced by a

stripline Stripline is a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) transmission line medium invented by Robert M. Barrett of the Air Force Cambridge Research Centre in the 1950s. Stripline is the earliest form of planar transmission line. Description A strip ...

matrix to produce beamforming that had the same output pattern but had no moving parts. Many more upgrades were made to the transmitter and receiver as solid state electronics were able to handle increased power loads. Among its notable uses were two examples used by the Argentine Air Force that were moved to the

Falkland Island The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubouzet ...

s during the 1982

Falklands War The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...

. The example at Port Stanley Airport survived two attacks by AGM-45 Shrike missiles before being captured by British forces. It was repaired, upgraded, and then used by the Royal Air Force for many years.

Description

The AN/TPS-43 is a ground-based, non-fixed (i.e.: transportable) search radar.The US Military description for radar type TPS is "Ground, Transportable; Radar; Detecting, Range and Bearing, Search". The entire system can be broken down and packed into two M35 trucks for road transport. An updated version replacing the original

shaped reflector A parabolic antenna is an antenna that uses a parabolic reflector, a curved surface with the cross-sectional shape of a parabola, to direct the radio waves. The most common form is shaped like a dish and is popularly called a dish antenna or par ...

and

with a phased array antenna was originally known as the TPS-43E2, but emerged as a much more modern system and was renamed the AN/TPS-75. TPS-75 is the current transportable air control and warning (AC&W) radar used by the United States Air Force.

Variants

In addition to the basic TPS-43 several variants were developed. * TPS-43A (antenna tilt; new IFF) * TPS-43B (enlarged shelter; changes to transmitter) * TPS-43C / 43CX (increased reliability; IFF improvements) * TPS-43D / 43DX (ISLS added; maximum detection range increased) * TPS-43E (major redesign; improvements to electronics, mechanics and shelter) * TPS-43F / subvariants V1 to V6 (major redesign; enlarged shelter, improved electronics; increased reliability) * TPS-43G (4MW version designed for Pakistan) * TPS-43M (improved electronics; increased dynamic range; improved IFF incorporating several modules in a single unit) * TPS-430

Operational history

AN-TPS-43E_tactical_three-dimensional_radar_system

The AN/TPS-43 completed development in 1963 and entered US service in 1968. This radar was deployed by the Argentine Air Force during the 1982

to Stanley and survived two British attacks with AGM-45 Shrike anti radar missiles on May 31 and June 3. One of the radars was captured by British forces after the Argentine surrender and deployed at

RAF Buchan Royal Air Force Buchan or more simply RAF Buchan is a former Royal Air Force station near Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Buchan opened in 1952 as a radar centre in the ROTOR radar network. It was soon upgraded with the installation of th ...

Another set installed at

Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio G ...

, in the mainland, was used to guide Argentine attacks on the British fleet.

Users

* Argentine Air Force - In the early 1980s six sets were purchased, one was lost in the Falklands War. * Bangladesh Air Force - 4 (Status Uncertain) Trade Registers
. Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 23 December 2017.

Specifications

* Weight (including shelter): < 3400 kg * Frequency range: 2.9 to 3.1 GHz (S-Band) * Pulse repetition frequency: Fixed: 250 Hz, Staggered: Six PRF's around 250 Hz * Pulse width: 6.5 microseconds * Peak power: 4.0 MW * Average power: 6.7 KW * Beam width (horizontal): 1.1 degrees * Beam width (vertical): 1.5 to 8.1 degrees; total 20 degree coverage; six stacked beams * Antenna rotation rate: 6 rpm * Maximum range 240 NM * Maximum display range: 450 km * Types of cooling : 4 types of cooling use (Air, Gas, Oil and Water) * Antenna characteristics: Reflector aperture 14 ft (4.27 m) high by 20 ft 4 in (6.20 m) wide

Footnotes

References

Notes

Sources

radartutorial.eu Card Index of Radar Sets - Ancient Radars – AN/TPS-43

''(accessed 2015-01-02)'' * * *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:AN TPS-43 Military radars of the United States Ground radars Radars of the United States Air Force Argentine Air Force Military equipment introduced in the 1960s