North America Air Defense System (part of 5)
For the inviolability of the air borders of the United States in the polar latitudes, the 11-I Air Forces of the United States Air Force (eng. Eleventh Air Force - 11 AF) is responsible. The duties of 11 AF include, among other things, patrolling the Bering Sea region, radar surveillance of the Russian Far East and the interception of Russian long-range bombers.
F-22A The 90 th Fighter Squadron from the 3-th Wing (3 WG) escorts the Russian Tu-95MS near Nunivac Island
Direct interception of air targets is assigned to the F-22A 90 th Fighter Squadron and 525 th Fighter Squadron, as well as the F-16C / D 354 th Fighter Wing. F-22A fighters are permanently deployed at Elmendorf air base in Anchorage, and F-16C / D fighters at Eilson airbase in central Alaska, near Erbans.
The headquarters of the 11 Air Force and the Alaskan sector NORAD (ANR) is located at the Elmendorf airbase. The Elmendorf air base is the main in Alaska. Here, in addition to fighters, military transport and DRLO E-3С Sentry AWASС aircraft are based. In the US, 30 aircraft operated by E-3C. Of these, 4 aircraft are based at the Elmendorf airbase, the rest are assigned to Tinker airbase in Oklahoma City.
The serial production of all variants of the E-3 Sentry was completed at the beginning of the 90-x. Total was built 68 aircraft. The most advanced modification is the E-3C. This aircraft is capable of patrolling for 6 km for 1600 hours without refueling in the air. The detection range of air targets - more than 400 km.
In the years of the “cold war”, over-horizon radar development was carried out to compensate for lost capabilities in terms of early warning radar, after abandoning the radar patrol ships, the “Texas Towers” and the constant hours of DRLO aircraft. The deployment of the AN / FPS-118 ZG radar (414L system) in the interests of the Air Force began at the end of the 80's on the US West and East Coast. However, in view of reducing the threat of global warfare, low noise immunity, and high operating costs (up to $ 1,5 million per year) in the second half of 90's, the AN / FPS-118 radar station decided to refuse.
But story ZG radar in the United States is not over. The US Navy adopted an alternative system - AN / TPS-71 ROTHR (relocatable over-the-horizon radar) with a range of detection of air and surface targets from 1000 to 3000 km. The AN / TPS-71 experimental station in 1991 was built on the Amchik Island of the Aleutian Archipelago, near Alaska. This ZG radar was designed to monitor the eastern coast of Russia. According to some reports, due to the identified deficiencies, it was dismantled in the 1993 year.
The second AN / TPS-71 was installed at Corpus Christi in Texas. The third American ZG radar operates near Portsmouth in the state of New Hampshire. The main purpose of AN / TPS-71 stations is to control the illegal crossing of the US border in order to curb the illegal importation of drugs. The location of over-the-horizon radars allows you to view the airspace above Central America and the Caribbean. The construction of another ZG radar station in Puerto Rico, which will allow a glimpse into South America, has now been completed.
In the past, the DRLO E-2 Hawkeye and E-3 Sentry aircraft were used to prevent the smuggling of drugs into the United States. However, the Sentry patrol was too expensive, and the Hokai, in addition to the fact that they didn’t have a long enough flight, was extremely reluctant to single out the command of the Navy.
For this reason, the US Customs Service ordered four AEW Sentinel P-3s. This aircraft DRLO created by Lockheed on the basis of the patrol aircraft P-3В Orion. The P-3 AEW Centinel is fitted with AN / APS-138 radar from an E-2C. DRLO airplanes are used to detect, escort and coordinate actions when intercepting aircraft carrying illicit drugs. For these purposes, the so-called “Double Eagle” system is used, consisting of an AEW P-3В aircraft and interceptors. F-16C / D, F-15 С / D fighters belonging to the Air Force or the National Guard, as well as naval F / A-18 can play this role.
Satellite image of Google earth: P-3В AEW and P-3CS airplanes at the Cécil Field
A few more anti-submarine "Orionov" modified in the version of the P-3CS Slick to control the US airspace in order to curb the illegal delivery of goods by light aircraft. This modification has become a cheaper alternative to the P-3 AEW. In the nose of the P-3CS mounted radar AN / APG-63. The same airborne radar was installed on the F-15 fighter jets. The AN / APG-63 radar has quite high capabilities for detecting smugglers flying at low altitude aircraft. A few more "Orion" installed radar APG-66 and AN / AVX-1. In addition, the aircraft P-3В AEW and P-3CS received radio equipment operating on the frequencies of the Customs Service and the US Coast Guard. The P-3B AEW and P-3CS radar patrol aircraft and the F / A-18 fighter aircraft are permanently based on the Corpus Christi airfields in Texas and Cesil Field in the vicinity of the city of Jacksonville in Florida.
The American DRLO aircraft of the Customs Service regularly make “business trips” to Central America as part of drug trafficking control operations. They were repeatedly noticed at the airfields of Costa Rica and Panama. Acting from there, they controlled low-powered flights aviation from Colombia.
In 1999, during a military exercise in the Fort Stewart area (Georgia), tests of the JLENS (Land Landing Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System) system developed by Raytheon were held. .
At the first stage of development, it was assumed that the aerostat system would not only become an inexpensive alternative to DRLO airplanes, but also be able to “highlight” low-altitude air targets when launching anti-aircraft missiles on them. The creation of “combat” balloons with AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and guided bombs with developed aerodynamic surfaces and a miniature jet engine was also envisaged. According to representatives of Raytheon, such a bomb dropped from a balloon could hit a target at a distance of 40-50 km.
According to the developer company, the JLENS complex will be able to observe the airspace around the clock from a height of 4500 meters during 30 days. To perform such a task requires at least 4-5 DRLO aircraft. Operating radar balloon stations costs 5-7, which is less expensive than operating early warning aircraft with similar characteristics, and also requires half the number of service personnel. During the tests, the system demonstrated the ability to detect air targets at a distance of more than 500 km, and mobile ground targets - 200 km. In addition to radar, balloons can carry optoelectronic surveillance equipment.
The basis of the system are: a helium balloon with a length of 71 meter, a radar for detecting and tracking targets, communications equipment and information processing, as well as a means of lifting and maintaining the balloon. The JLENS system includes special meteorological sensors, which allow to warn operators in advance about the deterioration of weather conditions in the area of aerostat deployment. The capacity of the balloon when lifting to the working height 4 500 m is about 2000 kg.
The received radar information is transmitted via fiber-optic cable to the ground processing complex, and the generated target designation data is communicated to consumers via communication channels. The deployment of the JLENS balloon radar system began in 2014. In total, it is planned to order 12 balloons with a set of radar and communications equipment and ground services with a total value of $ 1,6 billion.
In the first half of 80-s in the southeastern United States in the interests of the US Border and Customs Services, the TARS (Tethered Aerostat Radar System) was deployed.
Google Earth Satellite Image: a radar observation balloon in the Cujo Cay area of Florida
The balloon, 25 meters in length and 8 meters in width, as a payload of 125 kg, carries an AN / APG-66 radar with a detection range of up to 120 km. This radar was originally used on F-16A / B fighters. The TARS balloon can be operated with a horizontal wind of up to 90 km / h. Filled with helium, he is able to stay at a working height of 2700 meters continuously for two weeks.
The launch of balloons is made from a round platform, where there is a mooring device and an electric windlass with a total cable length 7600 meters. A total of 11 positions for the TARS system were equipped in the USA and Puerto Rico. However, due to the dramatically changing weather conditions, several balloons were lost. As of 2003 year, 8 balloons were in operation. Until 2006, balloon radar posts were under the authority of the United States Air Force. After the military refused them, the balloons were handed over to the US Customs Service. After hiring civilian specialists, the cost of operating the balloon park has decreased from $ 8 million, to $ 6 million per year.
Since the end of the 90-ies, TARS balloons began to be replaced with LASS (Low Altitude Surveillance System) instruments. The Lockheed Martin 420K aerostat is equipped with AN / TPS-63 radar with a detection range of 300 km and optoelectronic tracking systems for the earth and water surfaces.
Aerostatic radar systems, created as a means of detecting cruise missiles, erupting at low altitudes, are not yet in demand in North American air defense. The main reason for this is the high sensitivity of tethered balloons to weather conditions. The main field of application of radar aerostat posts has become control over the illegal crossing of the US-Mexico border and preventing drug trafficking.
By the beginning of the 21 century, the operation of the North American air defense system was provided by several hundred ground radars and formally, air defense tasks could be performed by up to 1000 fighters. However, the events of 11 September 2001 of the year demonstrated that the American part of NORAD is in deep crisis. The air defense forces of the most militarily powerful state then could not prevent the air attacks of airliners captured by terrorists. Prerequisites for this arose back in the early 90-x, when, in connection with the collapse of the USSR, the confrontation between the two superpowers ceased.
In the middle of the 90-x, a landslide reduction of the American air defense forces began - by 2001, all anti-aircraft artillery systems, as well as most of the air defense system, were removed from service. The number of interceptors on duty in the continental US has also been sharply reduced. As a result of a number of radical cuts to the autumn of 2001, only the fighters of the US National Guard and the Canadian Air Force remained in the North American continent's air defense system.
Until 11 September, 2001 had a total of six interceptors on combat duty on 15-minute readiness for departure throughout the continent. And this is despite the fact that by the year 2001 compared to the end of 80's, the intensity of flights over the USA has increased by about 2 times. The events of September 11 put the NORAD system in a situation that not only was not provided for in combat algorithms and action sequences, but was never lost in the process of staff training of the aviation and radar duty units. Black Tuesday demonstrated that the decaying system, designed to prevent outside invasion, failed to cope with the terrorist threat. Therefore, it was subjected to serious reform.
As a result of the reorganization and infusion of budget funds, the combat readiness and the number of air defense forces on duty increased significantly. Despite considerable expenses, regular patrol flights of AWACS aircraft of the AWACS system were resumed. The number of on-call interceptors at aviation bases has tripled. Thirty air bases are now involved in ensuring the protection of US airspace (against seven 11 of September 2001 of the year), of which eight bases are in a state of constant readiness.
8 squadrons, which include 130 interceptors and 8 E-3C aircraft, carry daily combat duty. In connection with the terrorist threat, a new procedure was adopted for making a decision on the destruction of aircraft captured by terrorists. At the moment, not only the American president is responsible for this, in emergency situations the command can be given to the commander of the continental air defense zone.
At the same time, in the USA, in contrast to Russia, there are practically no medium-range and long-range air defense systems carrying constant combat duty, their deployment is provided only in crisis situations. The US Army anti-aircraft units are armed with more than 400 PU MIM-104 Patriot SAM systems PAC-2 and PAC-3, as well as about 600 short-range M1097 Avenger SAM systems. Part of this technology is stored at military bases Fort Hood and Fort Bliss. The rest of the complexes are scattered around the world to protect advanced American bases.
Satellite image of Google earth: Patriot launcher based on Fort Bliss storage
The only anti-aircraft complex, carrying a constant combat duty in the United States, is the US-Norwegian air defense system NASAMS. After the events of 11 September, 2001, in Washington, near the White House, two Evendzher batteries were deployed. However, this was more of a psychological measure, since the short-range military complex, which uses Stinger light missiles to hit air targets, is unlikely to be able to knock a diving multi-ton jet airliner off the “battle line”. At the same time, for several reasons, the US administration found the long-range Patriot air defense system in Washington unacceptable. Compromise was the adoption of the armament and deployment in stationary positions in the vicinity of Washington three launchers SAM NASAMS.
Radar AN / MP-64F1 NASAMS ADMS with a range of detection of air targets 75 km is located in the center of Washington on a guided helipad. Three launchers are located at a distance of 20 km from the radar detection. Due to the diversity of PU is achieved a large area of destruction.
The development of this complex from 1989 to 1993 was done by the American Raytheon and the Norwegian Norsk Forsvarteknologia. AIM-120 AMRAAM aircraft missiles are used as a weapon in the NASAMS SAM system. Initially, the complex was created to replace the “Improved Hawk” air defense missile system and the developers hoped to put it into service in the United States. However, due to the end of the Cold War, large-scale orders did not follow.
NASAMS ADMS is able to effectively deal with maneuvering aerodynamic targets at medium altitudes, at a distance of 2,5-25 km, and at an altitude of 0,03-16 km, which allows the intruder to be shot down before he gets close to the White House.
In terms of cost and operating costs, the NASAMS air defense system looks much more advantageous than the Patriot air defense system. In the United States among the congressmen, voices were heard about the need to cover up anti-aircraft systems that carry a permanent watch of other vital or potentially dangerous objects. But for financial reasons it was rejected.
Despite the reform and some increase in combat readiness, the North American air defense system is subject to valid criticism from a number of American experts. The current airspace control system makes it possible to monitor all movements of large aircraft, in response to any change in their course, especially when approaching restricted areas. Over the past few years, hundreds of such deviations have occurred, which in some cases led to the announcement of increased combat readiness and the rise of interceptors. At the same time, the situation with the flights of private planes that do not make regular flights is uncontrollable. There are more than 4500 thousands of small private airfields operating in the United States, which are practically not controlled by federal structures. According to various data, they are used from 26 to 30 of thousands of different aircraft, including jet ones. Of course, these are not huge passenger or transport airliners, but they can also cause serious damage if they fall into the wrong hands. In the US, in addition to large military facilities, administrative and industrial centers, cosmodromes and nuclear power plants, there are a large number of hydraulic dams, oil refineries and chemical enterprises, an attack against which “air-kamikaze” even on a light-engine aircraft can lead to very serious consequences.
Based on:
https://www.airforce.com/
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/acc.htm
http://www.casr.ca/doc-loi-tactical-control-radar.htm
http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/article-template-standard.page?doc=virtual-museum-exhibit-about-daily-life-at-canadian-radar-stations/im7ansaq
http://pentagonus.ru/publ/privjaznye_aehrostaty_i_ikh_primenenie/18-1-0-1313
- Linnik Sergey
- North America Air Defense System (part of 1)
North America Air Defense System (part of 2)
North America Air Defense System (part of 3)
North America Air Defense System (part of 4)
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