AN/ZPY-1
Country of originUnited States
ManufacturerNorthrop Grumman
TypeSolid-state synthetic aperture radar
Power750 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 750W 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

  1. ↑ "AN/ZPY-1 STARLite Small Tactical Radar - Lightweight". Northrop Grumman. Retrieved 2017-01-22.
  2. ↑ Deagel.com
  3. ↑ "Northrop Grumman". Archived from the original on 2012-12-11. Retrieved 2010-01-18.
  4. ↑ "Army receives first STARLite radar tech". UPI. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
  5. ↑ Army orders more radar kits for Sky Warrior drones (Defense Systems)
  6. ↑ Northrop Grumman Lightens StarLite for UAS Applications - Ainonline.com, 26 October 2012
  7. ↑ Northrop pitches STARLite for MQ-8C - Flightglobal.com, 23 October 2012
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