P-18 radar
 P-18 radar in Germany with Parol IFF | |
| Country of origin |  Soviet Union |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1970 |
| Type | Early warning radar |
| Frequency | VHF |
| Range | 250 km (160 mi) |
| Altitude | 35 km (22 mi) |
| Azimuth | 360° |
| Elevation | −5°–+15° |
| Precision | 1 km (0.6 mi) (range) |
| Power | 260 kW |
TheP-18or1RL131Terek(also referred to by theNATO reporting name"Spoon Rest D"in the west) is a 2DVHFradardeveloped and operated by the formerSoviet Union.
Development
[edit]The P-18 early warning radar is a development of the earlierP-12 radar,the P-18 radar being accepted into service in 1970 following the successful completion of the program.[1]The P-18 was developed by the SKB Design Bureau, a division of State Plant No.197 named afterV. I. Leninwho developed the previous P-12, the predecessor of the currentNizhny Novgorod Research Institute of Radio Engineering(NNIIRT). In 1979 a new secondary IFF radar the 1L22 "Parol" entered into service to complement the P-18, unlike the previoussecondary radarNRS-12 (NATO "Score Board" ) the new interrogator was carried on a separate truck.[2]
The P-18 is still in service today and was widely exported, many companies offer upgrade options to improve the performance and reliability of the radar and to replace out-dated components. NNIIRT offers an upgrade package for the P-18 which includes the installation of asolid statetransmitter and receiver, automatic jammer suppression equipment as well asPCbased signal processing, test and interface equipment.[1]These upgraded variants of the P-18 can be referred to as the P-18M, P-18-1 or P-18-2 depending on the manufacturer, modification and radar nationality. The P-18 was superseded by the 1L13 "Nebo" VHF surveillance radar in 1984. Currently, the Russian-Belarusian companyDefense Systemsprovides upgrades for P-18 radars.[3]Also Retia, a Czech civil and military electronics company, developed its own, fundamental modernisation of the P-18 under the name ReVEAL. It is now solid state, digitized and fitted with upgraded IFF system, while allowing to utilise also the legacy IFF. The whole equipment is repackaged into a standard container and already sold in several dozen units.[4]
Description
[edit]
The P-18 shares many similarities with the earlier P-12NA and like the P-12 it is mounted on twoUral-4320truck chassis. The P-18 features many improvements over the P-12 including increased performance, precision and reliability.[2]The radar was developed to work independently or as part of aC3system directingSAMand aircraft to hostile targets, the truck mounted design provided the radar with high mobility.[5]
The P-18 uses a singleantennaaccomplishing bothtransmissionand reception. The antenna is composed of sixteenYagi antennasmounted in sets of eight with one set above the other. The radar antenna is mounted on the truck used to transport it improving mobility and the radar also features a mechanism which allows the antenna height and elevation to be altered during operation.[1]Azimuth is scanned mechanically by the antenna with a rotation of 10 r.p.m, the original P-18 used three indicators, including two plan position indicators in addition to a back-up A-scope.[5]Like the P-12 the radar features automatic frequency control with four pre-set operating frequencies, moving target indicator to eliminate passive clutter and active jamming, the radar could also display tracks from another radar it was paired with. The original P-18 used a coaxial cavityresonatortransmitter, vacuum tube receiver with transistor based preamplifier and a vacuum tube/pin diode based duplexer.[5]A secondary radar forIFFis generally used in conjunction with the P-18, either the NRS-12 or the later 1L22 "Parol".
Variants
[edit]There are a few modifications and variants of the P-18 radar that allow it to be still in use and most of them substantially extend original capabilities.
Lithuania
[edit]P-18ML[6]– ground-based long-range VHF surveillance radar P-18ML is offered as the modernized follow-on to its prototype, the analogue P-18. Produced by a private Lithuanian companyLiTak-Tak.[7]
Radar features:
- maximum use of COTS components
- stable, fail-soft, modular solid-state transmitter
- built-in test equipment
- no special adjustments required during operation
- largely simplified maintenance
- engineered for minimum cost of ownership
As a result of modernization the radar's detection performance is efficiently improved. Modernized radar features automatic tracking capability as well as data receiving from other radar sensors. Data can be exchanged over a variety of communication channels in approved format. The P-18ML is known to be in use by Ukrainian armed forces.[8]
Serbia
[edit]During development of modernization electronic set for P-12M radar it was developed digital data receiver that could be used for both P-12 and P-18 radar modernization by Serbian company Iritel. Today that set is in use by Serbian Air Force and Air Defence for modernized P-12 and P-18 radar.[9]This data receiver enables use of remote control for radar using optical cable at distances from 100 to 500 meters.
Russia
[edit]P-18-2- A P-18 modernization.[10]
P-18T- An upgraded P-18 on aKamAZ-43118chassis.[11][12]
Operators
[edit] | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(August 2023) |
The P-18 was operated by the Soviet Union from 1970 and though it has since become obsolete it was passed down to successor states after the fall of the Soviet Union. The radar continues to serve in many client and third world states who received the P-18 from the Soviet Union by export. Many P-18 have been upgraded and continue to serve in the military andair traffic controlrole across the world.
Afghanistan– Photographically confirmed as active at Bagram AB in April 1992. After Jamiat-e Islami mujahideen of Commander Ahmad Shah Massoud overrun the base, the radar probably continued to be operated for some time. Eventually it was destroyed during the civil war in the 1990s.
Algeria
Bulgaria
Cuba
Czech Republic– Used by first "Flying Rhino" NATO Exercise 1999
East Germany[13]
Egypt[14]
Finland– Known as "Maalinosoitustutka 2", used for anti-aircraft artillery as well as now-obsoleteS-125 Neva/Pechorabatteries.[15]
Georgia
Hungary– Displayed during the Kecskemét 2007 Air and Military Show[16]upgraded by HM Arzenal from 2000.[17]
India– P-18M – obsolete, being replaced by other radars likeRohini
Kazakhstan– Upgraded by Aerotechnica MLT[18]
Myanmar
Poland– Known as "Laura" locally[19]
North Korea
Romania[20]
Russia
Serbia- Soviet Union– Passed to successor states
Syria
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
Venezuela– P-18M
Vietnam[21]
Combat history
[edit]The P-18 has served in several conflicts in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. One unusual feature of the P-18 is its counter-stealth capability. Since the radar uses metre-length wave VHF, the shaping features and radar absorbent materials used on stealth aircraft are less efficient, allowing VHF based radars to detect targets at a greater range than centimeter or millimeter wave radar which stealth aircraft are optimized against.[22]The presence of a P-18 radar inYugoslaviaduring theKosovo Warcontributed tothe loss of a US F-117 Nighthawkduring the conflict.[23]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abc"Nizhniy novgorod research institute of radio engineering".NNIIRT. 2008.Archivedfrom the original on 26 October 2020.Retrieved28 December2008.
- ^abРЛС П-12(in Russian). pvo.guns.ru. 7 August 2000.Archivedfrom the original on 1 July 2018.Retrieved29 December2008.
- ^"JSC Defense Systems".Archived fromthe originalon 17 January 2009.Retrieved3 June2009.
- ^"RETIA, a.s. - Radar modernization".Archived fromthe originalon 9 April 2012.Retrieved23 April2013.
- ^abcChristian Wolff (2008)."P- 18" Spoon Rest D "".Archived fromthe originalon 5 October 2007.Retrieved29 December2008.
- ^"P-18ML on LiTak-Tak site".Archived fromthe originalon 26 January 2016.Retrieved3 July2015.
- ^"About LiTak-Tak".Archivedfrom the original on 26 July 2014.Retrieved23 July2014.
- ^"Documenting Ukrainian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine".
- ^"VVF DR/P-12/18".iritel.Archivedfrom the original on 22 November 2021.Retrieved28 October2021.
- ^"П-18-2".
- ^"P-18T/P-19T radar systems".
- ^"Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine".
- ^"Bundeswehr behindert Entschädigung von Radarsoldaten"(in German).Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk.18 March 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 21 March 2014.Retrieved13 August2023.
- ^Antonio Sánchez Andrés (7 November 2006)."Political-Economic Relations Between Russia and North Africa"(PDF).Working Paper.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 5 March 2012.Retrieved31 October2010.
- ^"Ilmatorjuntamuseo, Tutkat".AntiAircraft Museum, Finland. Archived fromthe originalon 24 February 2010.Retrieved9 August2009.
- ^"Kecskemet 2007 Hungary Air and military show pictures gallery"(in French and English). Army Recognition. 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 12 December 2011.Retrieved3 January2009.
- ^"P-18 Radar".HM Arzenál Electromechanical Stock Co. Archived fromthe originalon 21 July 2011.Retrieved3 January2009.
- ^"Modernised P-18 radar".Aerotechnica Ltd. 1992–2008. Archived fromthe originalon 30 January 2007.Retrieved3 January2009.
- ^"Radar Equipment".Ministry of National Defence Republic of Poland. 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 2 December 2008.Retrieved3 January2009.
- ^RoAF inventory: P-18Archived2012-08-19 atarchive.today
- ^"Hình ảnh 'mắt thần' bảo vệ bầu trời Việt Nam - DVO - Báo Đất Việt".Archived fromthe originalon 2 July 2017.Retrieved5 April2013.
- ^Carlo, Kopp (29 December 2008)."Russian Low Band Surveillance Radars".Air Power Australia. p. 1.Archivedfrom the original on 31 May 2019.Retrieved29 December2008.
- ^"Unconventional Weapon".Air & Space Magazine. 1 January 2008.Archivedfrom the original on 2 March 2014.Retrieved29 December2008.,used by the army and the air force of Nicaragua as well
External links
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