Electronic Weapons: September 14, 2003

Archives

Instead of building a long range ICBM tracking radar in Alaska, to support twenty ABMs (anti-ballistic missiles) that will be based in the area, the U.S. is going to mount the 50,000 ton X-Band radar on a mobile oil rig. The radar is 390 feet long and 250 feet high. By putting the radar on a sea going rig, it can be moved to face new threats. Right now, the most likely user of ICBMs against the U.S. is North Korea. So the radar will be mounted on the oil rig and towed to a location near Adak, Alaska. There was a naval base at Adak until 1996, when it was closed. The base is still there, and is being reopened to support the radar rig off shore. The radar rig has a crew of 50, with another 30-40 support personnel ashore. The radar is extremely powerful, so much so that the electronic signal it generates can interfere with nearby civilian electronics (medical devices, aircraft instruments, media transmitters and so on.) Military electronic equipment used near the radar is built to keep the transmissions from interfering, but this is very expensive.

 


Article Archive

Electronic Weapons: Current 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 


X

ad
0
20

Help Keep Us Soaring

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling. We need your help in reversing that trend. We would like to add 20 new subscribers this month.

Each month we count on your subscriptions or contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage. A contribution is not a donation that you can deduct at tax time, but a form of crowdfunding. We store none of your information when you contribute..
Subscribe   Contribute   Close