| Country of origin | United States |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Northrop Grumman |
| Type | Solid-state synthetic aperture radar |
| Power | 750 W peak |
The Northrop Grumman AN/ZPY-1 STARLite Small Tactical Radar - Lightweight [1] is a small, lightweight synthetic aperture radar/ GMTI radar used in tactical operations. The radar is under contract to the U.S. Army Communications and Electronics Command for its ERMP General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aerial System and is manufactured by Northrop Grumman. [2] STARLite weighs 65 lb (29 kg)., occupies 1.2 cubic feet (34 L), and requires less than 750 W of power. [3] The Army began to take delivery of the system in 2010. [4] Also in 2010 the system was ready for deployment to the battlefield. [5]
From the first orders in 2008 to October 2012, Northrop Grumman delivered half of the 174 radars ordered. Eighteen of the radars on order are a lighter, extended-range version. Weight was reduced by combining the radar power supply and processor and incorporating a Systron Donner inertial system. The new system weights 45 lb (20 kg). The patch antenna was replaced with a slot antenna, doubling its range to 10 mi (16 km). The original STARLite radar is used on the MQ-1C Gray Eagle and the Lockheed Martin Persistent Threat Detection System (PTDS) aerostat. The company is proposing the lighter version for integration onto small UAVs, including the RQ-7B Shadow, the MQ-8C Fire Scout, and the TigerShark UAS. Other potential customers include the Department of Homeland Security, which flies the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Guardian, and NATO countries. [6] The active electronically scanned radar is mounted on a rotating mechanical gimbal with a 360 degree field of regard, although the antenna itself has a 110 degree field of view. In addition to SAR/GMTI, it has a dismount moving target indicator mode that can track a person walking on the ground from a range of 4.3 nmi (8.0 km; 4.9 mi). [7]
References
- ^ "AN/ZPY-1 STARLite Small Tactical Radar - Lightweight". Northrop Grumman. Retrieved 2017-01-22.
- ^ Deagel.com
- ^ "Northrop Grumman". Archived from the original on 2012-12-11. Retrieved 2010-01-18.
- ^ "Army receives first STARLite radar tech". UPI. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
- ^ Army orders more radar kits for Sky Warrior drones (Defense Systems)
- ^ Northrop Grumman Lightens StarLite for UAS Applications - Ainonline.com, 26 October 2012
- ^ Northrop pitches STARLite for MQ-8C - Flightglobal.com, 23 October 2012
External links
- AN/ZPY-1 STARLite Small Tactical Radar - Lightweight (Northrop Grumman)
- U.S. Army Communications and Electronics Command
- Northrop Grumman Expanding STARLite Radar Capabilities [ permanent dead link]
- Army chooses lightweight surveillance radar system from Northrop Grumman for Sky Warrior UAV (Military & Aerospace Electronics)