AN/SPS-49

The AN/SPS-49 is the most effective rotating, 2-dimensional search radar in US Navy service. The SPS-49 has a very long range and is fully stabilized.

The system's antenna is of a horn-fed, orange-peel parabolic design. It produces a very narrow beam which decreases the probability of detection and jamming by hostile systems. Targets at low altitudes are sensed with the use of horizontal, line-of- sight stabilization. The radar maintains detection capabilities in all sea states.

SPS-49 maintains pulse to pulse stability of signal amplification through the use of a klystron final amplifier.

STATUS

The SPS-49 was evaluated in 1965 on board the experimental destroyer GYATT (DD 712) and was first operational in 1975. It is the principal search radar in several warship classes and is complementary to the AN/SPY-1 radar in the TICONDEROGA (CG 47) class.

The Navy has cancelled the SPS-49 SSTx that was under development by Westinghouse. As a result, neither the SPS-49 nor the SPS- 49(V)5 will have the SPS-49 SSTx.

In November, 1989 Raytheon won a $81,190,000 contract for 19 SPS-49 units, 9 modification kits and 8 spare antennas, including spare parts. Work on the contract will be performed in Wayland, Mass and completed in November 1993.

BUILDER

Raytheon, Wayland, Massachusetts, USA

PLATFORMS

   aircraft carriers  SPS-49(V)5 NIMITZ (CVN 68) class
                               SPS-49(V)5 JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV 67)
                               SPS-49(V)5 KITTY HAWK (CV 63) class
                               SPS-49(V)5 ENTERPRISE (CVN 65)
   cruisers              SPS-49(V)6 TICONDEROGA (CG 47) class
   destroyers         SPS-49(V)2 SPRUANCE (DD 963) class (DD 997 only)
   frigates              SPS-49(V)5 OLIVER HAZARD PERRY (FFG 7) class
   helicopter carriers
                               SPS-49(V)5 WASP (LHD 1) class
   amphibious ships   SPS-49(V)  WHIDBEY ISLAND (LSD 41) class

CHARACTERISTICS
 Band
    SPS-49           D
 Beam                3.3 x 9 deg
 Gain                29 dB
 Pulse Length
    compressed       125 microseconds
    short range      2 microsecond pulse
 Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF)
   long range        280 pps
   short range       800 or 1,000 pps
 Dimensions
    Antenna
      SPS-49         24 ft x 14 ft 3 in (7.3 m x 4.3 m)
      SPS-49(V)5     24 ft x 14 ft 2 in (7.3 m x 4.3 m)
   Antenna + above
      deck system    3,210 lb (1,456 kg)  SPS-49
                     3,165 lb (1,425 kg)  SPS-49(V)5
   Below deck
      system         13,791 lb (6,255 kg) SPS-49
                     14,004 lb (6,325 kg) SPS-49(V)5
   Scan Rate         6 or 12 rpm
 Range               250 nm
 Altitude            up to 150,000 ft (4,560 m)
 Range accuracy      0.03 nmi SPS-49(V)5
 Azimuth accuracy    0.5 deg SPS-49(V)5
 Transmitting Power
    Peak             360 kW SPS-49(V)5
    Average          13 kW SPS-49(V)5

VARIANTS

AN/SPS-49(V)5

The SPS-49(V) variant is the upgraded version of the SPS-49. Several missile ships are being upgraded in their air-defense capability under the New Threat Upgrade (NTU) program. The NTU program includes provision of the improved AN/SPS-48E, and SPS-49(V)5 radars which are linked to the SYS-2 and Naval Tactical Data System (NTDS ) computer systems.

Ships of the LEAHY (CG 16), BELKNAP (CG 26), and KIDD (DDG 993) classes received the NTU program. The SPS-49(V) includes all the functions of the SPS-49 as well as automatic target detection, pulse Doppler processing, and clutter maps. The system will also have Electronic Counter-Counter Measure (ECCM), and frequency agility capability. The SPS-49 Solid State Transmitter (SSTx), installed as part of the upgrade from SPS-49 to SPS-49(V), is claimed to be highly reliable with a Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) of 300 hr.

SPS-49 MPU

The SPS-49 MPU has double the range and improved performance against small missiles compared to the basic SPS-49.

Source:  periscope.com