AN/TPQ-53 radar demonstrated counter-UAS capability 42806161

Defence & Security News - Lockheed Martin
 
AN/TPQ-53 radar demonstrated counter-UAS capability
During a US Army’s Manoeuvre and Fires Integration Experiment (MFIX), the Lockheed Martin AN/TPQ-53 radar demonstrated its counter-UAS capabilities. The MFIX taking place on annual base is an opportunity for the military, industry and academia to assess in a live environment, the needs and the solutions that troops will require in future operations.
     
AN TPQ-53 radar demonstrated counter-UAS capability
The recent US Army's Manoeuvre and Fires Integration Experiment has showcased LM's AN/TPQ-53 counter-UAS and the overall system's multi-mission capabilities (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
     

The AN/TPQ-53 is a solid-state, phased-array, counter-fire radar, designed to locate the sources of enemy artillery and rocket fire, and provide the data to friendly forces. However, during MFIX, the system demonstrated its ability to identify and track unmanned aerial systems, and then pass the information to a forward air defence Command and Control node.

At the same time, the AN/TPQ-53 carried out its counter-fire mission, providing accurate data on rockets, artillery and mortars, thus proving its multi-mission capabilities.

According to Rick Herodes, Lockheed Martin’s Q-53 Programme Director, “the demonstration showed that the Q-53 radar can provide soldiers in combat real time awareness of air threats. The inherent flexibility of the Q-53’s active electronically scanned array (AESA) hardware architecture allows us to constantly evolve the Q-53’s software to deal with emerging threats. This demonstration provided further verification that the Q-53 enables the warfighter to stay ahead of changing global threats.”