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Radar reference
Radar equipment index
Browse radar and related electronic systems by designation. Linked names open full histories; unlinked entries are catalog records whose individual pages are still in preparation.
Browse the equipment list How to read it How radar stations worked
All radar equipment
Listed alphabetically by designation. Service periods summarize the documented equipment era and may vary by site. The role column distinguishes sensors from processing, communications, and support systems.
| Equipment | Service period | Role or type |
|---|---|---|
| AN/CPS-1 Microwave Early Warning Radar (MEW) | 1944-1952 | Heavy transportable S-band long-range search / fighter-control radar |
| AN/CPS-3 Air-Transportable Search Radar | 1951-late 1950s (confirmed use) | Air-transportable aircraft-warning and ground-controlled-interception search radar |
| AN/CPS-4 Beavertail Height-Finder Radar | 1945-1957 | Air-transportable S-band height-finding radar |
| AN/CPS-5 Transportable Medium-Range Search Radar | 1945-late 1950s | Transportable L-band medium-range search / GCI radar |
| AN/CPS-6 V-Beam Combined Search and Height-Finding Radar | 1950-early 1960s | Combined search and height-finding radar |
| AN/FPQ-15 Precision Tracking and Space Surveillance Radar | By 1976; still active in 2026 | Fixed high-power C-band monopulse precision-tracking, range-instrumentation, and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPQ-16 Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System (PARCS) | 1974-present | Fixed single-face UHF electronically steered phased-array strategic missile-warning, attack-characterization, and collateral space-domain-awareness radar |
| AN/FPS-3 Early-Warning Search Radar | 1951-mid-1960s | Fixed L-band two-dimensional air-search / ground-controlled-intercept radar |
| AN/FPS-4 Fixed X-Band Height-Finder Radar | 1948-1964 | Fixed X-band short/medium-range height-finder radar |
| AN/FPS-5 Nodding Height-Finder Radar | 1951-late 1950s | Fixed nodding height-finder radar |
| AN/FPS-6 Long-Range Height-Finder Radar | 1954-1987 (site-dependent) | Fixed high-power S-band height-finding radar |
| AN/FPS-7 Stacked-Beam Long-Range Search Radar | 1959-1990s (site-dependent) | Fixed L-band stacked-beam long-range air-surveillance / GCI radar with simultaneous height-information capability |
| AN/FPS-8 Medium-Range Search Radar | 1955-1960s; variants later | Fixed L-band medium-range air-surveillance / early-warning search radar |
| AN/FPS-10 Combined Search and Height-Finding Radar | 1952-1964 | Fixed-station, air-transportable S-band combined search and height-finding radar |
| AN/FPS-14 Gap-Filler Search Radar | 1957-1968 | Fixed S-band remotely operated gap-filler air-search radar |
| AN/FPS-17 | 1955-1995 | Fixed-ground VHF long-range ballistic-missile and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-18 Gap-Filler Search Radar | 1958-1970 | Fixed S-band gap-filler air-search radar |
| AN/FPS-19 | 1957-1993 | Fixed-site L-band DEW Line early-warning search radar |
| AN/FPS-20 Long-Range Search Radar | 1957-1990s (family service) | Fixed L-band high-power long-range air-surveillance / early-warning search radar |
| AN/FPS-23 Fluttar (Flutter Radar) | 1957-1963 | Fixed-site UHF continuous-wave bistatic Doppler fence and low-altitude gap-filler radar system |
| AN/FPS-24 Frequency-Diversity Long-Range Search Radar | 1961-1983 | Fixed VHF frequency-diversity long-range air-surveillance / early-warning search radar |
| AN/FPS-26 Frequency-Diversity Long-Range Height-Finder Radar | 1960-early 1980s | Fixed C-band frequency-diversity long-range height-finder radar |
| AN/FPS-27 Frequency-Diversity Long-Range Search Radar | 1963-1987 | Fixed S-band frequency-diversity long-range surveillance/search radar with stacked-beam 3-D capability |
| AN/FPS-28 Frequency-Diversity Search Radar | Late 1959-May 1965 (one site) | Fixed experimental long-range surveillance and search radar |
| AN/FPS-30 Sentinel / Advanced Sentinel | 1954-1991 | Fixed long-range DEW Line search and early-warning radar |
| AN/FPS-31 Experimental UHF GCI Radar | October 1955-November 1962 | Fixed experimental UHF long-range air-search and ground-control-intercept radar |
| AN/FPS-33 Dual-Channel Defense Acquisition Radar | 1957-early 1960s (U.S.) | Fixed L-band dual-channel defense-acquisition and search radar |
| AN/FPS-35 Frequency-Diversity Long-Range Search Radar | 1960-1981 | Fixed UHF frequency-diversity long-range surveillance/search radar |
| AN/FPS-43 Trinidad BMEWS Prototype Detection Radar | Late 1950s-1971 (Trinidad) | Fixed UHF ballistic-missile and space-surveillance detection scanner |
| AN/FPS-44 Trinidad 84-Foot Precision Tracking Radar | 1959-1971 (Trinidad) | Fixed high-power UHF missile and space-object precision tracking radar |
| AN/FPS-49 BMEWS Monopulse Tracking Radar | 1961-1992 | Fixed UHF precision tracking radar for ballistic-missile warning and space surveillance |
| AN/FPS-50 BMEWS Scanner / Surveillance Radar | 1960-2001; deactivated by 2002 | Fixed UHF ballistic-missile early-warning surveillance / scanner radar |
| AN/FPS-64 ECCM-Modified AN/FPS-20 | 1961-2011+ (documented) | Fixed L-band two-dimensional long-range air-surveillance / early-warning search radar |
| AN/FPS-65 ECCM-Modified Long-Range Search Radar | 1961-early 1990s | Fixed L-band two-dimensional long-range air-surveillance / early-warning radar |
| AN/FPS-66 ECCM-Modified Long-Range Search Radar | 1961-2011+ (documented) | Fixed L-band two-dimensional long-range air-surveillance / air-route-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-67 ECCM-Modified Long-Range Search Radar | 1961-2011+ (documented) | Fixed L-band two-dimensional long-range air-surveillance / air-route-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-74 Improved ECCM Gap-Filler Radar | 1959-1964 (development only) | Fixed S-band gap-filler search radar / ECCM conversion program |
| AN/FPS-78 Laredo Space-Tracking and Missile-Detection Radar | July 1961-July 1964 | Fixed mechanically steered VHF precision tracking, space-surveillance, and emergency missile-detection radar |
| AN/FPS-79 Blue Nine Tracking Radar | 1963-1997 | Fixed mechanically steered long-range precision space / missile tracking radar |
| AN/FPS-80 Blue Moon / Blue Fox | 1962-1977 | Fixed mechanically steered precision missile and space tracking radar |
| AN/FPS-85 Eglin Phased Array Radar / Site C-6 Radar | 1969-present | Fixed UHF phased-array space-surveillance, tracking, identification, and former SLBM-warning radar |
| AN/FPS-87 AN/FPS-87 / AN/FPS-87A Receiver-Modernized Long-Range Search Radar | 1963-1988 (reported site record; exact end unverified) | L-band long-range search radar / ECCM receiver modernization |
| AN/FPS-88 AN/FPS-8 Parametric-Receiver and Long-Range Search Upgrade | 1963-2001+ (allied sites) | Fixed two-dimensional L-band long-range air-surveillance search radar and AN/FPS-8 modernization |
| AN/FPS-90 Long-Range Height-Finder Radar | 1962-1988 | Fixed S-band long-range height-finder radar |
| AN/FPS-91 High-Gain Long-Range Search Radar | 1965-late 1990s | High-gain L-band long-range search radar modernization |
| AN/FPS-92 Clear BMEWS Site II Tracking Radar | 1966-2001 | Fixed UHF mechanically steered precision ballistic-missile and space tracking radar |
| AN/FPS-93 High-Gain ECCM Long-Range Search Radar | 1964-1999 | Fixed L-band long-range search / surveillance radar modernization |
| AN/FPS-95 Cobra Mist Over-the-Horizon Radar | 1972-1973 (testing) | Fixed experimental high-frequency over-the-horizon backscatter surveillance and intelligence radar |
| AN/FPS-107 Single-Beam Long-Range Search Radar | Late 1960s-1980s | Fixed L-band two-dimensional long-range air-surveillance / ground-controlled-intercept search radar conversion |
| AN/FPS-108 Cobra Dane Radar | 1977-present | Fixed single-face phased-array missile-intelligence, missile-warning, missile-defense and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-115 PAVE PAWS Radar | From 1980; later upgraded | Fixed dual-face all-solid-state active electronically steered phased-array SLBM-warning and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-116 JSS Modernized Height-Finder Radar | Circa 1977-1988 | Fixed S-band long-range height-finder radar modernization / upgrade configuration |
| AN/FPS-117 Long-Range Solid-State Radar | 1983-present | Fixed-site long-range three-dimensional air-surveillance radar with mechanically rotating azimuth antenna and active electronic elevation scanning |
| AN/FPS-118 Over-the-Horizon Backscatter Radar | 1975-1997 (development and use) | Fixed bistatic high-frequency over-the-horizon backscatter wide-area two-dimensional air-surveillance and tactical-warning radar |
| AN/FPS-120 Two-Face Solid State Phased Array Radar | From 1987; later UEWR conversion | Fixed two-face UHF solid-state phased-array ballistic-missile-warning, attack-assessment, and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-123 PAVE PAWS Early Warning Radar, Improved Configuration | From 1986; later AN/FPS-132 conversion | Fixed dual-face UHF solid-state active electronically steered phased-array ballistic-missile-warning, attack-assessment, and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-124 North Warning System Short-Range Radar | Late 1980s-present (site-dependent) | Unattended fixed short-range air-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-126 Fylingdales Three-Face Solid State Phased Array Radar | From 1992; later AN/FPS-132 conversion | Fixed three-face UHF solid-state phased-array ballistic-missile-warning, attack-assessment, and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-129 HAVE STARE / Globus II Precision Tracking and Imaging Radar | 1996-2023+ (documented) | Fixed-site mechanically steered high-resolution X-band precision tracking, metric measurement, wideband imaging, and space-object characterization radar |
| AN/FPS-132 Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR) | 2000s-present | Fixed UHF solid-state active electronically steered phased-array ballistic-missile-warning, missile-defense, and space-domain-awareness radar family |
| AN/FPS-133 Air Force Space Surveillance System (AFSSS), formerly NAVSPASUR | 1958-2013 | Fixed multistatic continuous-wave VHF space-surveillance fence radar network |
| AN/FPS-507 Canadian Long-Range Height Finder | 1960-1980s | Fixed S-band long-range height-finding radar |
| AN/FRC-56 Tropospheric-Scatter Radio Set | Mid-1950s-later Cold War | Fixed UHF and low-microwave tropospheric-scatter multichannel communications and radar-data transmission system |
| AN/FRT-80 440L OTH-F Transmitter | 1968-1975 | Fixed HF forward-scatter / over-the-horizon missile-warning transmitter |
| AN/FSQ-7 SAGE Combat Direction Central | 1958-1983 | Fixed real-time digital air-defense command-and-control computer / combat direction central |
| AN/FSQ-8 SAGE Combat Control Central | 1959-1966 | Fixed real-time digital air-defense command-and-control computer / division-level Combat Control Central |
| AN/FSQ-76 440L OTH-F Receiver | 1968-1975 | Fixed high-frequency over-the-horizon forward-scatter missile-warning receiver / detection subsystem |
| AN/FSS-7 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile Detection and Warning Radar | 1966-1986 | Mechanical coastal SLBM search, acquisition, and tracking radar conversion |
| AN/FST-1 Coordinate Data Transmitting Set | 1957-1970 | Fixed radar-data processor / slowed-down-video coordinate data transmitter |
| AN/FST-2 Coordinate Data Transmitting Set | Circa 1958-1973 | Fixed-site real-time radar-data processor and digital coordinate transmitter |
| AN/FSW-1 Control Monitor Set | Circa 1958-early 1970s (principal use) | Fixed-site remote supervisory control, status-monitoring and alarm system for unattended gap-filler radar annexes |
| AN/FSY-3 Space Fence Radar | 2020-present | Fixed S-band phased-array space-surveillance radar system |
| AN/FYQ-47 Production Common Digitizer | 1970-1990s | Fixed integrated-circuit radar and beacon data-processing / data-remoting system |
| AN/FYQ-93 Regional Operations Control Center Computer / Q-93 | 1983-2000s (site-dependent) | Fixed real-time digital air-defense command-and-control computer and display system |
| AN/FYQ-156 / BCS-F Battle Control System-Fixed | 2006-present | Fixed networked battle-management command-and-control system |
| AN/GKA-4 Flight Control Group / Frequency-Division Data Link (FDDL) | 1959-1964 (U.S. tactical use) | Fixed ground flight-control and frequency-division data-link processing group used in BOMARC A Ground-Air Transmitter facilities |
| AN/GKA-5 Time-Division Data Link Transmitter Set | Late 1950s-1977+ (documented) | Fixed UHF time-division ground-to-air data-link processing and transmitter set |
| AN/GPA-37 Radar Course Directing Group | 1955-mid-1960s (principal use) | Fixed-site radar-data processing, display, analog intercept-computation and weapons-control system |
| AN/GPA-102 MK-448 ECCM Modification Kit | 1961-2011+ (embedded systems) | Fixed-site radar ECCM modification kit / receiver-processing group |
| AN/GPA-103 MK-447 ECCM Modification Kit | 1961-1990s (embedded systems) | Fixed-site radar ECCM modification kit / receiver and video-processing modernization |
| AN/GSA-51 Radar Course Directing Group | 1965-late 1960s (principal use) | Fixed-site solid-state radar-data processing, display, air-defense command-and-control, and weapons-direction system |
| AN/MPS-4 Mobile Height-Finder Radar | Early 1950s (principal use) | Mobile C-band aircraft height-finding radar |
| AN/MPS-7 Mobile AN/FPS-3 Search Radar | 1955-1964 | Mobile L-band aircraft search / Ground-Control Intercept radar |
| AN/MPS-8 Mobile AN/FPS-4 Height Finder | 1955-1965 | Mobile X-band short-range height-finder radar |
| AN/MPS-11 Mobile AN/FPS-8 Search Radar | 1956-early 1970s | Mobile L-band medium-range search and early-warning radar |
| AN/MPS-14 Mobile AN/FPS-6 Height Finder | 1955-1980 (site-dependent) | Mobile S-band long-range height-finder radar |
| AN/TPS-1 Transportable Long-Range Search Radar | 1943-1983 (family; variants vary) | Transportable L-band long-range air-search / early-warning radar family |
| AN/TPS-10 Little Abner | 1945-1965 | Transportable X-band height-finder radar; original also used for low-altitude detection in mountainous terrain |
| AN/TPS-43 Tactical Three-Dimensional Air Surveillance Radar | 1969-1990s; foreign use later | Transportable S-band 3-D tactical air-surveillance / control radar |
| AN/TPS-59 Marine Corps long-range surveillance radar | 1985-2010s; divestment begun 2019 (final date unverified) | Transportable long-range three-dimensional air-surveillance and theater ballistic-missile surveillance radar |
| AN/TPS-77 Transportable Long-Range Surveillance Radar | Late 1990s-present | Transportable three-dimensional long-range air-surveillance radar |
| ARSR-1 Air Route Surveillance Radar Model 1 | 1958-early 2010s | Fixed long-range two-dimensional air-route surveillance/search radar |
| ARSR-2 Air Route Surveillance Radar Model 2 | 1961-2015 | Fixed L-band long-range two-dimensional air-route surveillance / search radar |
| ARSR-3 Air Route Surveillance Radar Model 3 | 1979-mid-2010s | Fixed L-band long-range two-dimensional air-route surveillance / search radar |
| ARSR-4 Air Route Surveillance Radar Model 4 | 1996-present | Fixed L-band three-dimensional long-range air-route surveillance / national air-defense radar |
| ASR-7 / AN/GPN-12 Airport Surveillance Radar, Model 7 | Circa 1968-2010s (site-dependent) | Fixed S-band terminal airport-surveillance radar; military fixed-airfield configuration designated AN/GPN-12 |
| ASR-8 / AN/GPN-20 / AN/GPN-27 Airport Surveillance Radar Model 8 | 1970s-later site-specific use | Fixed terminal-area airport-surveillance radar with military nomenclature variants |
| ASR-9 Airport Surveillance Radar Model 9 | Late 1980s-present (site-dependent) | Fixed digital terminal-area airport-surveillance radar |
| ASR-11 / AN/GPN-30 Digital Airport Surveillance Radar | 2000s-present | Fixed digital terminal-area airport-surveillance radar |
| ATCBI-6 / ATCBI-6M Air Traffic Control Beacon Interrogator Model 6 / Model 6 Modified | 2002-present (FAA family) | Fixed cooperative monopulse secondary-surveillance radar and air-traffic-control beacon interrogator |
| Baker-Nunn Camera Baker-Nunn Satellite Tracking Camera | 1957-1980s | Optical space-tracking system |
| CARSR Common Air Route Surveillance Radar | 2011-present | Fixed long-range primary surveillance radar modernization / service-life-extension configuration |
| FPS-502 Pinetree Backup Search Radar / MZEW-derived Radar | 1954-1962; research reuse later | Canadian S-band medium-range fixed backup search radar |
| GPS-3 AN/GPS-3 Backup Search Radar | 1956-1965 | Fixed L-band backup / medium-range air-search radar |
| GPS-10 AN/GPS-10 COBRA TALON Space-Tracking Radar | 1971-1990s | Fixed UHF space-surveillance and ballistic-missile detection/tracking radar |
| Long Range Discrimination Radar LRDR | 2025-present | Fixed S-band phased-array missile-defense discrimination and tracking radar |
| OA-3424 High-Gain ECCM Antenna | 1965-1990s; reflector reuse later | Fixed-site L-band radar antenna / ECCM modernization component |
| OA-4381 OA-4381/FPS-87 Receiver Group | 1963-late 1960s; later use uncertain | Radar receiver group / ECCM modernization component |
| SCR-270 Mobile Long-Range Aircraft Warning Radar | 1940-late 1940s (site-dependent) | Early-warning search radar |
| SCR-271 Fixed Long-Wave Aircraft Warning Radar | 1940-1945; experimental use 1946 | Fixed-site long-range aircraft-warning search radar |
| SCR-548 Experimental Outer-Harbor Aircraft Detector | World War II (experimental) | Experimental shipborne or outer-harbor aircraft-detection radar |
| SP-1M Mobile Fighter Director Radar | World War II-early postwar | Mobile shore-based air and surface search and fighter-direction radar |
| TPS-501 Canadian Pinetree Short-Range Height Finder | 1954-1960 | Transportable X-band height-finder radar used as complementary or backup height-finding equipment at RCAF Pinetree GCI stations |
| TPS-502 Canadian Pinetree TPS-10D-derived Height Finder | 1954-early 1960s | Transportable Canadian X-band short-range height-finder radar |
| CD-2 Common Digitizer family FAA radar and beacon common digitizer, including CD-2A | Documented 1990 | Radar data processing and digitization |
| AN/FYQ-9 Alaskan Air Command Data Processing and Display System | 1965 onward (retirement unverified) | Air-defense radar data-processing and display system |
| AN/GPS-3 Fixed Backup Air-Surveillance Search Radar | 1964 documented (full dates pending) | Fixed two-dimensional air-surveillance search radar |
| AN/FPS-89 Long-Range Height-Finding Radar | 1965 documented (full dates pending) | Fixed height-finding radar |
| AN/FPS-110 Long-Range Air-Surveillance Search Radar | 1977-2008 (Danish records; exact end pending) | Fixed long-range air-surveillance search radar |
| AN/CPS-1 Microwave Early Warning Radar (MEW) | 1944-1952 | Heavy transportable S-band long-range search / fighter-control radar |
| AN/CPS-3 Air-Transportable Search Radar | 1951-late 1950s (confirmed use) | Air-transportable aircraft-warning and ground-controlled-interception search radar |
| AN/CPS-4 Beavertail Height-Finder Radar | 1945-1957 | Air-transportable S-band height-finding radar |
| AN/CPS-5 Transportable Medium-Range Search Radar | 1945-late 1950s | Transportable L-band medium-range search / GCI radar |
| AN/CPS-6 V-Beam Combined Search and Height-Finding Radar | 1950-early 1960s | Combined search and height-finding radar |
| AN/FPQ-15 Precision Tracking and Space Surveillance Radar | By 1976; still active in 2026 | Fixed high-power C-band monopulse precision-tracking, range-instrumentation, and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPQ-16 Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System (PARCS) | 1974-present | Fixed single-face UHF electronically steered phased-array strategic missile-warning, attack-characterization, and collateral space-domain-awareness radar |
| AN/FPS-3 Early-Warning Search Radar | 1951-mid-1960s | Fixed L-band two-dimensional air-search / ground-controlled-intercept radar |
| AN/FPS-4 Fixed X-Band Height-Finder Radar | 1948-1964 | Fixed X-band short/medium-range height-finder radar |
| AN/FPS-5 Nodding Height-Finder Radar | 1951-late 1950s | Fixed nodding height-finder radar |
| AN/FPS-6 Long-Range Height-Finder Radar | 1954-1987 (site-dependent) | Fixed high-power S-band height-finding radar |
| AN/FPS-7 Stacked-Beam Long-Range Search Radar | 1959-1990s (site-dependent) | Fixed L-band stacked-beam long-range air-surveillance / GCI radar with simultaneous height-information capability |
| AN/FPS-8 Medium-Range Search Radar | 1955-1960s; variants later | Fixed L-band medium-range air-surveillance / early-warning search radar |
| AN/FPS-10 Combined Search and Height-Finding Radar | 1952-1964 | Fixed-station, air-transportable S-band combined search and height-finding radar |
| AN/FPS-14 Gap-Filler Search Radar | 1957-1968 | Fixed S-band remotely operated gap-filler air-search radar |
| AN/FPS-17 | 1955-1995 | Fixed-ground VHF long-range ballistic-missile and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-18 Gap-Filler Search Radar | 1958-1970 | Fixed S-band gap-filler air-search radar |
| AN/FPS-19 | 1957-1993 | Fixed-site L-band DEW Line early-warning search radar |
| AN/FPS-20 Long-Range Search Radar | 1957-1990s (family service) | Fixed L-band high-power long-range air-surveillance / early-warning search radar |
| AN/FPS-23 Fluttar (Flutter Radar) | 1957-1963 | Fixed-site UHF continuous-wave bistatic Doppler fence and low-altitude gap-filler radar system |
| AN/FPS-24 Frequency-Diversity Long-Range Search Radar | 1961-1983 | Fixed VHF frequency-diversity long-range air-surveillance / early-warning search radar |
| AN/FPS-26 Frequency-Diversity Long-Range Height-Finder Radar | 1960-early 1980s | Fixed C-band frequency-diversity long-range height-finder radar |
| AN/FPS-27 Frequency-Diversity Long-Range Search Radar | 1963-1987 | Fixed S-band frequency-diversity long-range surveillance/search radar with stacked-beam 3-D capability |
| AN/FPS-28 Frequency-Diversity Search Radar | Late 1959-May 1965 (one site) | Fixed experimental long-range surveillance and search radar |
| AN/FPS-30 Sentinel / Advanced Sentinel | 1954-1991 | Fixed long-range DEW Line search and early-warning radar |
| AN/FPS-31 Experimental UHF GCI Radar | October 1955-November 1962 | Fixed experimental UHF long-range air-search and ground-control-intercept radar |
| AN/FPS-33 Dual-Channel Defense Acquisition Radar | 1957-early 1960s (U.S.) | Fixed L-band dual-channel defense-acquisition and search radar |
| AN/FPS-35 Frequency-Diversity Long-Range Search Radar | 1960-1981 | Fixed UHF frequency-diversity long-range surveillance/search radar |
| AN/FPS-43 Trinidad BMEWS Prototype Detection Radar | Late 1950s-1971 (Trinidad) | Fixed UHF ballistic-missile and space-surveillance detection scanner |
| AN/FPS-44 Trinidad 84-Foot Precision Tracking Radar | 1959-1971 (Trinidad) | Fixed high-power UHF missile and space-object precision tracking radar |
| AN/FPS-49 BMEWS Monopulse Tracking Radar | 1961-1992 | Fixed UHF precision tracking radar for ballistic-missile warning and space surveillance |
| AN/FPS-50 BMEWS Scanner / Surveillance Radar | 1960-2001; deactivated by 2002 | Fixed UHF ballistic-missile early-warning surveillance / scanner radar |
| AN/FPS-64 ECCM-Modified AN/FPS-20 | 1961-2011+ (documented) | Fixed L-band two-dimensional long-range air-surveillance / early-warning search radar |
| AN/FPS-65 ECCM-Modified Long-Range Search Radar | 1961-early 1990s | Fixed L-band two-dimensional long-range air-surveillance / early-warning radar |
| AN/FPS-66 ECCM-Modified Long-Range Search Radar | 1961-2011+ (documented) | Fixed L-band two-dimensional long-range air-surveillance / air-route-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-67 ECCM-Modified Long-Range Search Radar | 1961-2011+ (documented) | Fixed L-band two-dimensional long-range air-surveillance / air-route-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-74 Improved ECCM Gap-Filler Radar | 1959-1964 (development only) | Fixed S-band gap-filler search radar / ECCM conversion program |
| AN/FPS-78 Laredo Space-Tracking and Missile-Detection Radar | July 1961-July 1964 | Fixed mechanically steered VHF precision tracking, space-surveillance, and emergency missile-detection radar |
| AN/FPS-79 Blue Nine Tracking Radar | 1963-1997 | Fixed mechanically steered long-range precision space / missile tracking radar |
| AN/FPS-80 Blue Moon / Blue Fox | 1962-1977 | Fixed mechanically steered precision missile and space tracking radar |
| AN/FPS-85 Eglin Phased Array Radar / Site C-6 Radar | 1969-present | Fixed UHF phased-array space-surveillance, tracking, identification, and former SLBM-warning radar |
| AN/FPS-87 AN/FPS-87 / AN/FPS-87A Receiver-Modernized Long-Range Search Radar | 1963-1988 (reported site record; exact end unverified) | L-band long-range search radar / ECCM receiver modernization |
| AN/FPS-88 AN/FPS-8 Parametric-Receiver and Long-Range Search Upgrade | 1963-2001+ (allied sites) | Fixed two-dimensional L-band long-range air-surveillance search radar and AN/FPS-8 modernization |
| AN/FPS-90 Long-Range Height-Finder Radar | 1962-1988 | Fixed S-band long-range height-finder radar |
| AN/FPS-91 High-Gain Long-Range Search Radar | 1965-late 1990s | High-gain L-band long-range search radar modernization |
| AN/FPS-92 Clear BMEWS Site II Tracking Radar | 1966-2001 | Fixed UHF mechanically steered precision ballistic-missile and space tracking radar |
| AN/FPS-93 High-Gain ECCM Long-Range Search Radar | 1964-1999 | Fixed L-band long-range search / surveillance radar modernization |
| AN/FPS-95 Cobra Mist Over-the-Horizon Radar | 1972-1973 (testing) | Fixed experimental high-frequency over-the-horizon backscatter surveillance and intelligence radar |
| AN/FPS-107 Single-Beam Long-Range Search Radar | Late 1960s-1980s | Fixed L-band two-dimensional long-range air-surveillance / ground-controlled-intercept search radar conversion |
| AN/FPS-108 Cobra Dane Radar | 1977-present | Fixed single-face phased-array missile-intelligence, missile-warning, missile-defense and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-115 PAVE PAWS Radar | From 1980; later upgraded | Fixed dual-face all-solid-state active electronically steered phased-array SLBM-warning and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-116 JSS Modernized Height-Finder Radar | Circa 1977-1988 | Fixed S-band long-range height-finder radar modernization / upgrade configuration |
| AN/FPS-117 Long-Range Solid-State Radar | 1983-present | Fixed-site long-range three-dimensional air-surveillance radar with mechanically rotating azimuth antenna and active electronic elevation scanning |
| AN/FPS-118 Over-the-Horizon Backscatter Radar | 1975-1997 (development and use) | Fixed bistatic high-frequency over-the-horizon backscatter wide-area two-dimensional air-surveillance and tactical-warning radar |
| AN/FPS-120 Two-Face Solid State Phased Array Radar | From 1987; later UEWR conversion | Fixed two-face UHF solid-state phased-array ballistic-missile-warning, attack-assessment, and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-123 PAVE PAWS Early Warning Radar, Improved Configuration | From 1986; later AN/FPS-132 conversion | Fixed dual-face UHF solid-state active electronically steered phased-array ballistic-missile-warning, attack-assessment, and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-124 North Warning System Short-Range Radar | Late 1980s-present (site-dependent) | Unattended fixed short-range air-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-126 Fylingdales Three-Face Solid State Phased Array Radar | From 1992; later AN/FPS-132 conversion | Fixed three-face UHF solid-state phased-array ballistic-missile-warning, attack-assessment, and space-surveillance radar |
| AN/FPS-129 HAVE STARE / Globus II Precision Tracking and Imaging Radar | 1996-2023+ (documented) | Fixed-site mechanically steered high-resolution X-band precision tracking, metric measurement, wideband imaging, and space-object characterization radar |
| AN/FPS-132 Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR) | 2000s-present | Fixed UHF solid-state active electronically steered phased-array ballistic-missile-warning, missile-defense, and space-domain-awareness radar family |
| AN/FPS-133 Air Force Space Surveillance System (AFSSS), formerly NAVSPASUR | 1958-2013 | Fixed multistatic continuous-wave VHF space-surveillance fence radar network |
| AN/FPS-507 Canadian Long-Range Height Finder | 1960-1980s | Fixed S-band long-range height-finding radar |
| AN/FRC-56 Tropospheric-Scatter Radio Set | Mid-1950s-later Cold War | Fixed UHF and low-microwave tropospheric-scatter multichannel communications and radar-data transmission system |
| AN/FRT-80 440L OTH-F Transmitter | 1968-1975 | Fixed HF forward-scatter / over-the-horizon missile-warning transmitter |
| AN/FSQ-7 SAGE Combat Direction Central | 1958-1983 | Fixed real-time digital air-defense command-and-control computer / combat direction central |
| AN/FSQ-8 SAGE Combat Control Central | 1959-1966 | Fixed real-time digital air-defense command-and-control computer / division-level Combat Control Central |
| AN/FSQ-76 440L OTH-F Receiver | 1968-1975 | Fixed high-frequency over-the-horizon forward-scatter missile-warning receiver / detection subsystem |
| AN/FSS-7 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile Detection and Warning Radar | 1966-1986 | Mechanical coastal SLBM search, acquisition, and tracking radar conversion |
| AN/FST-1 Coordinate Data Transmitting Set | 1957-1970 | Fixed radar-data processor / slowed-down-video coordinate data transmitter |
| AN/FST-2 Coordinate Data Transmitting Set | Circa 1958-1973 | Fixed-site real-time radar-data processor and digital coordinate transmitter |
| AN/FSW-1 Control Monitor Set | Circa 1958-early 1970s (principal use) | Fixed-site remote supervisory control, status-monitoring and alarm system for unattended gap-filler radar annexes |
| AN/FSY-3 Space Fence Radar | 2020-present | Fixed S-band phased-array space-surveillance radar system |
| AN/FYQ-47 Production Common Digitizer | 1970-1990s | Fixed integrated-circuit radar and beacon data-processing / data-remoting system |
| AN/FYQ-93 Regional Operations Control Center Computer / Q-93 | 1983-2000s (site-dependent) | Fixed real-time digital air-defense command-and-control computer and display system |
| AN/FYQ-156 / BCS-F Battle Control System-Fixed | 2006-present | Fixed networked battle-management command-and-control system |
| AN/GKA-4 Flight Control Group / Frequency-Division Data Link (FDDL) | 1959-1964 (U.S. tactical use) | Fixed ground flight-control and frequency-division data-link processing group used in BOMARC A Ground-Air Transmitter facilities |
| AN/GKA-5 Time-Division Data Link Transmitter Set | Late 1950s-1977+ (documented) | Fixed UHF time-division ground-to-air data-link processing and transmitter set |
| AN/GPA-37 Radar Course Directing Group | 1955-mid-1960s (principal use) | Fixed-site radar-data processing, display, analog intercept-computation and weapons-control system |
| AN/GPA-102 MK-448 ECCM Modification Kit | 1961-2011+ (embedded systems) | Fixed-site radar ECCM modification kit / receiver-processing group |
| AN/GPA-103 MK-447 ECCM Modification Kit | 1961-1990s (embedded systems) | Fixed-site radar ECCM modification kit / receiver and video-processing modernization |
| AN/GSA-51 Radar Course Directing Group | 1965-late 1960s (principal use) | Fixed-site solid-state radar-data processing, display, air-defense command-and-control, and weapons-direction system |
| AN/MPS-4 Mobile Height-Finder Radar | Early 1950s (principal use) | Mobile C-band aircraft height-finding radar |
| AN/MPS-7 Mobile AN/FPS-3 Search Radar | 1955-1964 | Mobile L-band aircraft search / Ground-Control Intercept radar |
| AN/MPS-8 Mobile AN/FPS-4 Height Finder | 1955-1965 | Mobile X-band short-range height-finder radar |
| AN/MPS-11 Mobile AN/FPS-8 Search Radar | 1956-early 1970s | Mobile L-band medium-range search and early-warning radar |
| AN/MPS-14 Mobile AN/FPS-6 Height Finder | 1955-1980 (site-dependent) | Mobile S-band long-range height-finder radar |
| AN/TPS-1 Transportable Long-Range Search Radar | 1943-1983 (family; variants vary) | Transportable L-band long-range air-search / early-warning radar family |
| AN/TPS-10 Little Abner | 1945-1965 | Transportable X-band height-finder radar; original also used for low-altitude detection in mountainous terrain |
| AN/TPS-43 Tactical Three-Dimensional Air Surveillance Radar | 1969-1990s; foreign use later | Transportable S-band 3-D tactical air-surveillance / control radar |
| AN/TPS-59 Marine Corps long-range surveillance radar | 1985-2010s; divestment begun 2019 (final date unverified) | Transportable long-range three-dimensional air-surveillance and theater ballistic-missile surveillance radar |
| AN/TPS-77 Transportable Long-Range Surveillance Radar | Late 1990s-present | Transportable three-dimensional long-range air-surveillance radar |
| ARSR-1 Air Route Surveillance Radar Model 1 | 1958-early 2010s | Fixed long-range two-dimensional air-route surveillance/search radar |
| ARSR-2 Air Route Surveillance Radar Model 2 | 1961-2015 | Fixed L-band long-range two-dimensional air-route surveillance / search radar |
| ARSR-3 Air Route Surveillance Radar Model 3 | 1979-mid-2010s | Fixed L-band long-range two-dimensional air-route surveillance / search radar |
| ARSR-4 Air Route Surveillance Radar Model 4 | 1996-present | Fixed L-band three-dimensional long-range air-route surveillance / national air-defense radar |
| ASR-7 / AN/GPN-12 Airport Surveillance Radar, Model 7 | Circa 1968-2010s (site-dependent) | Fixed S-band terminal airport-surveillance radar; military fixed-airfield configuration designated AN/GPN-12 |
| ASR-8 / AN/GPN-20 / AN/GPN-27 Airport Surveillance Radar Model 8 | 1970s-later site-specific use | Fixed terminal-area airport-surveillance radar with military nomenclature variants |
| ASR-9 Airport Surveillance Radar Model 9 | Late 1980s-present (site-dependent) | Fixed digital terminal-area airport-surveillance radar |
| ASR-11 / AN/GPN-30 Digital Airport Surveillance Radar | 2000s-present | Fixed digital terminal-area airport-surveillance radar |
| ATCBI-6 / ATCBI-6M Air Traffic Control Beacon Interrogator Model 6 / Model 6 Modified | 2002-present (FAA family) | Fixed cooperative monopulse secondary-surveillance radar and air-traffic-control beacon interrogator |
| Baker-Nunn Camera Baker-Nunn Satellite Tracking Camera | 1957-1980s | Optical space-tracking system |
| CARSR Common Air Route Surveillance Radar | 2011-present | Fixed long-range primary surveillance radar modernization / service-life-extension configuration |
| FPS-502 Pinetree Backup Search Radar / MZEW-derived Radar | 1954-1962; research reuse later | Canadian S-band medium-range fixed backup search radar |
| GPS-3 AN/GPS-3 Backup Search Radar | 1956-1965 | Fixed L-band backup / medium-range air-search radar |
| GPS-10 AN/GPS-10 COBRA TALON Space-Tracking Radar | 1971-1990s | Fixed UHF space-surveillance and ballistic-missile detection/tracking radar |
| Long Range Discrimination Radar LRDR | 2025-present | Fixed S-band phased-array missile-defense discrimination and tracking radar |
| OA-3424 High-Gain ECCM Antenna | 1965-1990s; reflector reuse later | Fixed-site L-band radar antenna / ECCM modernization component |
| OA-4381 OA-4381/FPS-87 Receiver Group | 1963-late 1960s; later use uncertain | Radar receiver group / ECCM modernization component |
| SCR-270 Mobile Long-Range Aircraft Warning Radar | 1940-late 1940s (site-dependent) | Early-warning search radar |
| SCR-271 Fixed Long-Wave Aircraft Warning Radar | 1940-1945; experimental use 1946 | Fixed-site long-range aircraft-warning search radar |
| SCR-548 Experimental Outer-Harbor Aircraft Detector | World War II (experimental) | Experimental shipborne or outer-harbor aircraft-detection radar |
| SP-1M Mobile Fighter Director Radar | World War II-early postwar | Mobile shore-based air and surface search and fighter-direction radar |
| TPS-501 Canadian Pinetree Short-Range Height Finder | 1954-1960 | Transportable X-band height-finder radar used as complementary or backup height-finding equipment at RCAF Pinetree GCI stations |
| TPS-502 Canadian Pinetree TPS-10D-derived Height Finder | 1954-early 1960s | Transportable Canadian X-band short-range height-finder radar |
| CD-2 Common Digitizer family FAA radar and beacon common digitizer, including CD-2A | Documented 1990 | Radar data processing and digitization |
| AN/FYQ-9 Alaskan Air Command Data Processing and Display System | 1965 onward (retirement unverified) | Air-defense radar data-processing and display system |
| AN/GPS-3 Fixed Backup Air-Surveillance Search Radar | 1964 documented (full dates pending) | Fixed two-dimensional air-surveillance search radar |
| AN/FPS-89 Long-Range Height-Finding Radar | 1965 documented (full dates pending) | Fixed height-finding radar |
| AN/FPS-110 Long-Range Air-Surveillance Search Radar | 1977-2008 (Danish records; exact end pending) | Fixed long-range air-surveillance search radar |
How to read the list
Search radar
Scans airspace for targets and establishes range and bearing. Many Cold War search sets required a separate height finder for altitude.
Height finder
Measures a selected target's elevation or altitude. Its narrower, often nodding antenna worked alongside the main search radar.
Gap filler
Watches low-altitude blind spots caused by terrain or the radar horizon. A remote annex often sent reports to a parent station.
Processing and support
Identification, data-conversion, communications, control, antenna, and upgrade equipment helped turn radar returns into usable tracks.
Looking for the wider story of radar stations, SAGE, missile warning, and space surveillance? Read the radar history overview.