DIMDEX 2024: Qatar showcases AN/MPQ-53 radar system from the Patriot SAM system.

At the DIMDEX 2024 exhibition, Qatar showcased its AN/MPQ-53 radar system from the Patriot Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) System, following an acquisition in 2014. This system is a crucial element in Qatar's missile defense modernization efforts amidst tensions in the Middle East.
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The AN/MPQ-53 radar presented by Qatar at DIMDEX 2024 (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The AN/MPQ-53 radar, resulting from the collaboration between defense giants Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, is a cornerstone in medium to high-altitude missile defense. Operating on a C-band frequency, this passive electronically scanned array radar system is capable of tracking over 100 targets beyond 100 kilometers. Its integrated "detection-to-kill" approach distinguishes it from other surface-to-air missile systems that generally rely on multiple radars for similar tasks. This unified methodology allows the radar to execute all necessary functions—from detection to target engagement efficiently.

In the landscape of modern air defense, the Patriot missile systems, with their advanced AN/MPQ-53 and AN/MPQ-65 radars, provide an exceptional capability to track and eliminate a broad range of aerial threats. Equipped with cutting-edge technologies such as Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM), and missile guidance through track-via-missile (TVM), these systems are autonomously controlled from the Engagement Control Station (ECS) via a digital weapons control computer. Mounted on an M860 semi-trailer and towed by an M983 truck, they demonstrate the defense system's mobility and resilience. They are capable of rapid deployment in response to emerging threats due to their robust design and integrated leveling capability.

The AN/MPQ-65 radar, equipping PAC-3 units, marks a significant advancement with the addition of an extra traveling wave tube, enhancing its detection, tracking, and engagement capabilities up to 100 targets simultaneously. This technological evolution ensures precise missile guidance, enhancing the system's effectiveness against sophisticated and high-speed threats. Adopted by numerous countries around the world, especially in the Middle East like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan, these radar systems play a pivotal role in global air defense strategies, showcasing an unprecedented ability to detect and engage long-distance and high-speed targets.

On July 14, 2014, a contract worth $11 billion was signed by Qatar's Minister of Defense and Major General Hamid bin Ali al-Attiyah, for 10 Patriot PAC-3 missile batteries ($7 billion), 24 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters (over $3 billion), and 500 Javelin anti-tank missiles ($100 million). The first deliveries were made in 2018. A Patriot missile site near Mesaieed, with its distinctive two-radar configuration, underscores the strategic importance of comprehensive surveillance and defense capabilities. This setup, potentially including two MPQ-53/65 radars and six launchers, allows for a combined Field of View (FOV) of 240°. Such an arrangement is essential for maintaining vigilance over a larger area, given the radar's 120° FOV and its stationary orientation towards potential threats.

The acquisition of the Patriot missile system and the AN/MPQ-65 radar is part of Qatar's missile defense modernization effort to upgrade its military as it becomes increasingly autonomous following a cooling of relations with its Gulf Cooperation Council partners.

Defense News March 2024