SCANFAR
Encyclopedia
The Hughes
SCANFAR system was the first deployed United States Navy
phased array
radar
system installed on the USS Long Beach
and USS Enterprise
. It consisted of two search radars, the AN/SPS-32 and the AN/SPS-33. In 1982, the system was removed from Long Beach, and was replaced by the AN/SPS-48
during a comprehensive overhaul.http://www.usslongbeach-assoc.org/Milestones.html Despite its failure, the lessons learned were applied to the AN/SPY-1
radar and Aegis combat system
. Aboard the Long Beach, the system used AN/SPG-55
radars for missile guidance.
, with a new long-range missile known as Typhon. The radar acted both as a long-range surveillance system as well as the target illumination and guidance system for the missiles. The system proved to be beyond the state of the art, in particular the radar required a larger number of individual broadcast elements that proved to be unreliable and expensive.
SCANFAR was to some extent a "cut down" version of the SPG-59. The main radar would be used solely for surveillance, target illumination being left to existing radar systems used with earlier missiles like the Talos or Tartar. During development it was found that attempting to use a single antenna for both search and track did not work effectively, so the system was modified to use two antennas, one for surveillance and another for tracking. The overall weapon system ended up using three radar antennas, and was therefore similar to earlier systems.
In service the system proved to be extremely unreliable, due largely to the huge number of tubes it used. Although the "air picture" it provided was good, the low availability rate meant both Long Beach and Enterprise were unavailable for fleet operations for extended periods. During overhauls the SCANFAR system was removed, and replaced with more "conventional" systems.
Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1932 by Howard Hughes in Culver City, California as a division of Hughes Tool Company...
SCANFAR system was the first deployed United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
phased array
Phased array
In wave theory, a phased array is an array of antennas in which the relative phases of the respective signals feeding the antennas are varied in such a way that the effective radiation pattern of the array is reinforced in a desired direction and suppressed in undesired directions.An antenna array...
radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
system installed on the USS Long Beach
USS Long Beach (CGN-9)
USS Long Beach was a nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser in the United States Navy. She was the only ship of her class....
and USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
USS Enterprise , formerly CVA-65, is the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth US naval vessel to bear the name. Like her predecessor of World War II fame, she is nicknamed the "Big E". At , she is the longest naval vessel in the world...
. It consisted of two search radars, the AN/SPS-32 and the AN/SPS-33. In 1982, the system was removed from Long Beach, and was replaced by the AN/SPS-48
AN/SPS-48
The AN/SPS-48 is a US naval phased array three-dimensional air search radar system manufactured by ITT Corporation. It was a key component of the New Threat Upgrade and is still used on some US Navy ships such as s, s and s...
during a comprehensive overhaul.http://www.usslongbeach-assoc.org/Milestones.html Despite its failure, the lessons learned were applied to the AN/SPY-1
AN/SPY-1
The AN/SPY-1 is a US naval radar system manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The array is a passive electronically scanned system and is a key component of the Aegis Combat System. The system is computer controlled, using four complementary antennas to provide 360 degree coverage...
radar and Aegis combat system
Aegis combat system
The Aegis Combat System is an integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin...
. Aboard the Long Beach, the system used AN/SPG-55
AN/SPG-55
The AN/SPG-55 was a tracking / illumination radar for Terrier and RIM-67 Standard missiles . It was used for target tracking and Surface-to-air missile guidance on numerous ships including s,s, s and Farragut class destroyers. It was also used on the nuclear powered single units , and...
radars for missile guidance.
History
Prior to the development of SCANFAR, the Navy had been developing an advanced anti-aircraft weapon system combining an extremely advanced radar system, the AN/SPG-59AN/SPG-59
The AN/SPG-59 was an advanced phased array radar developed by the U.S. Navy starting in 1958. It was intended to offer search, track and guidance from a single radar system and antenna. Paired with the new Typhon missile, the system was to provide wide-area air defense out to about 110 nm from...
, with a new long-range missile known as Typhon. The radar acted both as a long-range surveillance system as well as the target illumination and guidance system for the missiles. The system proved to be beyond the state of the art, in particular the radar required a larger number of individual broadcast elements that proved to be unreliable and expensive.
SCANFAR was to some extent a "cut down" version of the SPG-59. The main radar would be used solely for surveillance, target illumination being left to existing radar systems used with earlier missiles like the Talos or Tartar. During development it was found that attempting to use a single antenna for both search and track did not work effectively, so the system was modified to use two antennas, one for surveillance and another for tracking. The overall weapon system ended up using three radar antennas, and was therefore similar to earlier systems.
In service the system proved to be extremely unreliable, due largely to the huge number of tubes it used. Although the "air picture" it provided was good, the low availability rate meant both Long Beach and Enterprise were unavailable for fleet operations for extended periods. During overhauls the SCANFAR system was removed, and replaced with more "conventional" systems.
- AN/SPS-32 was a wide rectangular antenna for air surveillance.
- AN/SPS-33 was a narrow rectangular antenna for target tracking. According to Navy documentation, the AN/SPS-33 was frequency scanned in elevation and phase scanned in azimuth.
External links
- Weaponbook - Non-English, but contains a couple of good pictures of the USS Long Beach with the SCANFAR radars.
- Google cache of eDefense Online article