 General Electric AN/FPS-7 Radar | |
| Country of origin | United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Long Range Search Radar |
| Other Names | AN/ECP-91 AN/FPS-107 (V1, V2) |
The AN/FPS-7 Radar was a Long Range Search Radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command.
In the mid-1950s General Electric developed a radar with a search altitude of 100,000 feet and a range of 270 miles. This radar was significant in that it was the first stacked-beam radar to enter into production in the United States. The antenna was fed signals from several feed horns arranged in a vertical stack, producing a series of horizontal beams separated vertically in space. By comparing the returns from the different feeds, altitude information could be determined without the need for a separate height-finder radar.
Designed to operate in the L-band at 1250 to 1350 MHz, the radar deployed in late 1959 and the early 1960s. The AN/FPS-7 was used for both air defense and air traffic control in New York, Kansas City, Houston, Spokane, San Antonio, and elsewhere.
In the early 1960s a modification called AN/ECP-91 was installed to improve its electronic countermeasure (ECM) capability. About thirty units were produced. Another modification was the AN/FPS-107 which also operated in the L-Band which was manufactured by Westinghouse.
Classification of radar systems
Under the Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), all U.S. military radar and tracking systems are assigned a unique identifying alphanumeric designation. The letters “AN” (for Army-Navy) are placed ahead of a three-letter code.[1]
- The first letter of the three-letter code denotes the type of platform hosting the electronic device, where A=Aircraft, F=Fixed (land-based), S=Ship-mounted, and T=Ground transportable.
- The second letter indicates the type of equipment, where P=Radar (pulsed), Q=Sonar, and R=Radio.
- The third letter indicates the function or purpose of the device, where G=Fire control, R=Receiving, S=Search, and T=Transmitting.
Thus, the AN/FPS-7 represents the 7th design of an Army-Navy “Fixed, Radar, Search” electronic device.[2][1]
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- 1 2 Avionics Department (2013). "Missile and Electronic Equipment Designations". Electronic Warfare and Radar Systems Engineering Handbook (PDF) (4 ed.). Point Mugu, California: Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division. p. 2-8.1.
- ↑ Winkler, David F. (1997). "Radar Systems Classification Methods". Searching the Skies: The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program (PDF). Langley AFB, Virginia: United States Air Force Headquarters Air Combat Command. p. 73. LCCN 97020912.
