Developments in asymmetric warfare against insurgent forces firing rockets, mortars and artillery on U.S. troops meant the U.S. Army needed something more advanced. Something different. And something proven.
Since 2010, the Lockheed Martin AN/TPQ-53 (Q-53) counterfire target acquisition radar has been successfully deployed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan providing U.S. Army soldiers with enhanced protection from indirect fire.
The continuing need for the Q-53 systems has led the U.S. Army this month to award Lockheed Martin a low-rate initial production contract for an additional 19 systems valued at $206 million.
“We have already produced and delivered more than 30 Q-53 radar systems, and it has been battlefield-proven by the U.S. Army in combat overseas,” said Lee Flake, program director for counterfire target acquisition radar programs at Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems and Training business. “The Q-53 detects, tracks and classifies enemy indirect fire, as well as locates its source, in either 360- or 90-degree modes giving soldiers greater protection from the enemy.”
Mounted on a five-ton truck, the Q-53 can be rapidly deployed, automatically leveled and remotely operated with a laptop computer or from the fully equipped climate-controlled command vehicle.
Since Lockheed Martin competitively won the development contract for the Q-53 radar in 2007, the company has won three additional contracts: one in 2008 for 12 initial production systems; a second in 2010 with options for an additional 20 systems; and, a third in 2012 for 33 systems.
Work on the Q-53 radar contract is performed at Lockheed Martin facilities in Syracuse, N.Y., Moorestown, N.J., Akron, Ohio, and Clearwater, Fla.