Lockheed contracts Trust Automation for additional AN / TPQ-53 automation systems

The AN / TPQ-53 counterfire target acquisition radar of the US Army. Photo: US Army.

13 November 2014 army-technology.com

Trust Automation has been awarded a contract to supply additional motion control systems for the AN / TPQ-53 (Q-53) counterfire target-acquisition radar system.

Awarded by Lockheed Martin, the contract represents the fourth low-rate initial production award for the rugged and advanced vehicle automation system.

The system is designed to automatically level out the vehicle that hosts the radar, and then raise and rotate the counterfire radar.

Trust Automation chief executive officer Ty Safreno said: "Trust Automation has been providing industry-leading power density, accuracy and reliability for the electro-mechanical control systems needed for the next generation of DoD heavy military equipment, including the AN / TPQ-53, since 2008.

"Due to the continued success of the AN / TPQ-53 delivered systems by Trust Automation, a fourth contract has been awarded."

Manufactured by Lockheed, the AN / TPQ-53 is a quick-reaction capability mobile radar system, designed to detect, classify and track in-flight projectiles fired from mortar, artillery and rocket systems, using a 90° or continuous 360° sector search.

With improved operational and physical functionality compared with existing AN / TPQ 36 radars systems, it provides target location of indirect fire systems with sufficient accuracy, enabling more effective detection and counter-battery actions in the battlefield.

Mounted on a 5t truck, the solid-state phased-array radar can be rapidly deployed, automatically levelled and remotely controlled with a laptop computer or from a fully equipped climate-controlled command vehicle.

Previously designated as the EQ-36, the Q-53 radars have been deployed by the US Army during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The contract's value and additional details, including the number of systems ordered and delivery schedule, remain undisclosed.