Questions and Consequences: Iran's Strike on Qatar's AN/FPS-132 Radar
General appearance of the AN/FPS-132 radar. Photo by Raytheon.
During the current Operation True Promise 4, the Iranian armed forces are inflicting missile Strikes against various enemy targets in the Middle East. One of the targets for the Iranian missiles was the AN/FPS-132 UEWR airborne early warning radar operating in Qatar. Had such a strike been successful, Iran could have inflicted significant damage on its adversaries, and they would have lost some of their operational capabilities.
Priority target
Iran began retaliatory strikes against foreign targets as early as the morning of February 28, shortly after the first enemy missiles fell on its territory. Then, official Iranian sources began reporting various results of these attacks.
Thus, during the day, it was reported that a missile strike had hit a stationary AN/FPS-132 radar station located in northern Qatar. As a result of this attack, the radar suffered critical damage and was disabled. It should be noted that Iran limited itself to reporting only a successful attack. No objective monitoring data was provided. It was also not reported by what means. weapons They hit the radar station.
Soon, satellite photographs claimed to show the Qatari radar before and after the strike appeared on specialized websites. However, the appearance of the supposedly damaged station indicated a crude and inept forgery. The "destroyed" object simply did not resemble the real radar. Who posted the false "photographs" and why remains unknown.
However, the Qatari Ministry of Defense soon commented on the situation. It stated that the AN/FPS-132 radar had indeed been the target of one of the Iranian strikes. However, the ministry declined to disclose the results of such an attack or specify the station's current status, its operability, or anything else.
Radar station long before the attack. Photo: Google Maps
The day after the alleged attack, new, more credible satellite images appeared publicly available. A low-quality image dated March 1 showed dark spots of unknown origin and nature appearing on the outer parts of the radar.
It's possible that this low-resolution photograph shows traces of a missile strike and subsequent fire. However, other possibilities, such as shadows from structural elements, optical artifacts, and so on, cannot yet be ruled out.
On March 3, the American satellite operator Planet Labs published a new, higher-quality image of the Qatari AN/FPS-132 UEWR. It shows a black spot on the roof of the structure, near the northeastern part of the "pyramid" with its antenna arrays. In its commentary, the operator claims that this is debris from a missile strike.
The exact damage to the radar station is, understandably, unknown. However, it can be assumed that not only the external structures but also various electronic components were damaged. After such a strike, the station would have been at least temporarily inoperable. However, the possibility of complete incapacitation, even to the point of being impossible to repair, cannot be ruled out.
A joint project
In the recent past, Qatar has been systematically and methodically strengthening its air defenses, including by purchasing and deploying new radars. Meanwhile, it planned to purchase virtually all the necessary military equipment from the United States.
The first satellite images before and after the suspected impact. Photo by Planet Labs
In July 2013, it was announced that Qatar planned to purchase and deploy the American-designed AN/FPS-132 Block 5 airborne early warning radar on its territory. Plans were also underway to acquire other radar and anti-aircraft systems of various classes and types.
The first contracts for the supply of equipment and the organization of defense were signed at the end of 2014. In accordance with them, American contractors were to build a new Control Center in Qatar Defense- missile defense, as well as the transfer of a number of Patriot and THAAD systems. All activities and deliveries were to be completed by the end of the decade.
In December 2016, the United States and Qatar signed a long-awaited contract to build a fixed radar station. The project was valued at $1,1 billion. Construction of the new facility was scheduled to begin soon at a Qatari military base.
According to Qatari military plans, the new station was to monitor the air situation over the entire Middle East. Particular attention was planned for tracking Iranian activities. In a crisis, the AN/FPS-132 station was to make a decisive contribution to the country's air and missile defense systems.
Construction of the radar station took several years. At the turn of the decade, the station was commissioned. Officially, it belongs to the Qatari Armed Forces and is staffed by local crews. However, there is every reason to believe that US Army specialists are involved in combat operations. Furthermore, the AN/FSP-132 could be integrated into US and NATO intelligence and command and control systems as part of the global air and missile defense system.
A high-quality image of the station from March 3. The arrow marks the missile impact site. Photo by Planet Labs
It's worth noting that four more AN/FPS-132 systems are also on combat alert. Three are built on the east and west coasts of the United States, as well as in Alaska. Two more are deployed in the United Kingdom and Greenland. These stations create a virtually continuous radar field around the United States and some of its European allies. The Qatari radar complements them.
Main Features
The AN/FPS-132 Upgraded Early Warning Radar is a fixed-position radar designed to detect various types of air and ballistic targets. Its data are used to guide various air and missile defense systems.
The radar station is a structure with an above- and below-ground section, with a total height of approximately 40 meters. A multifaceted antenna array is located on the roof of this building. The station, located in Qatar, is equipped with three fixed active phased array antennas, each covering a 120° azimuth sector.
The station operates at ultra-high frequencies and uses the over-the-horizon radar principle. Each active phased array (APAA) has over 2600 transmitting and receiving elements. The total power is over 2,5 megawatts. The detection range for large airborne targets reaches 3000 miles—almost 5000 km.
The primary mission of the AN/FPS-132 is to detect ballistic missile launches that pose a threat to the countries that operate them. The radar must detect the launch and calculate the trajectory of such a target. Anti-missile systems then use this data to deploy anti-missile defenses.
It's easy to see that the technical capabilities of the UEWR radar significantly exceed Qatar's air and missile defense needs. For example, a detection range of up to 5 km allows the station to monitor not only the entire territory of Iran but also remote regions.
AN/FPS-132 radar in the UK
In the northern direction, the radar's area of responsibility extends to the Scandinavian and Kola Peninsulas. Meanwhile, the AESA, facing east, monitors the situation in India and China. Specifically, it covers the main PLA Strategic Missile Forces deployment areas located deep in the continent.
Strategic issues
Available information allows for various theories about the true purpose and mission of the AN/FPS-132 Block 5 radar stationed in Qatar. Furthermore, it becomes clear why Iran chose this station as a priority target and attacked it first.
Judging by its stated characteristics and capabilities, the UEWR station performed more complex tasks than simply defending a small state on the Persian Gulf coast. It also provided valuable information to the United States and likely other NATO countries. Such a station would be a highly valuable component of a strategic missile defense system aimed at Iran, China, or Russia.
Clearly, a successful strike on such a radar would dramatically reduce US capabilities to monitor Iran. The loss of such an intelligence asset would make it difficult to detect missile launches or combat missions in a timely manner. aviation enemy. In the current conflict, the lack of such capabilities is becoming a significant blow.
Thus, in self-defense and retaliation for the attack, Iran struck one of the US military's most important overseas installations. According to published materials, the attack was successful and caused significant damage to the radar station. More details may emerge soon. However, it is already clear that Iran's strike will have significant consequences for several countries at once.
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