Northrop Grumman introduces new solid-state radars

June 16th, 1999

Northrop Grumman Corporation has introduced a new family of modular, solid-state, tactical air surveillance radars based on the highly successful AN/TPS-70 radar at the Paris Air Show. The AN/TPS-70 has been sold to 23 countries since 1987.

The new family of ground-based, three-dimensional, S-Band radars includes both long- (240 nautical mile) and short-(60-90 nautical mile) range versions that can be deployed in either mobile or fixed-site configurations. The long- and short-range versions have extensive hardware and software commonality.

The new product family retains all of the performance advantages of the AN/TPS-70, with the additional reliability and maintainability advantages of the new, modular, air-cooled solid-state transmitter.

The solid-state transmitter is very similar to the one contained in the ASR-12, Northrop Grumman's newest airport surveillance radar, which is already operational in three countries with nine additional systems on order. The transmitter has built-in redundancy, extra capacity and extensive self-test capabilities.

Based on the high reliability being achieved by the ASR-12 radars, Northrop Grumman expects the Mean-Time-Between-Failure (MTBF) of the new TPS-70 solid state radars to be in excess of 2000 hours.

These new radars can also be supplied with an optional Missile Launch Warning System (MLWS). A tactical ballistic missile detection and tracking capability supplied by Northrop Grumman has been operationally deployed on US Air Force AN/TPS-75 tactical radars. The new solid-state TPS-70 is the only other radar in its class that provides simultaneous detection and tracking of both aircraft and missile targets throughout its entire surveillance volume.

"This new radar family will extend the successful heritage of the AN/TPS-70 radar well into the next century," said Don Wilhelm, Northrop Grumman's director of Air Defence Systems.

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