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Cobra Dane
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The AN/FPS-108 COBRA DANE is a PESA phased array radar installation operated by Raytheon for the United States Space Force (originally for the United States Air Force) at Eareckson Air Station on the island of Shemya, Aleutian Islands, Alaska.[1] The system was built in 1976 and brought online in 1977 for the primary mission of gathering intelligence about Russia's ICBM program in support of verification of the SALT II arms limitation treaty. Its single face 95 ft (29 m) diameter phased array radar antenna 52°44′14″N 174°05′29″E / 52.7373°N 174.0914°E faces the Kamchatka Peninsula and Russia's Kura Test Range. COBRA DANE operates in the 1215–1400 MHz band and can track items as small as a basketball sized drone at distances of several hundred miles.[2]
The "COBRA" designation indicates a general Defense Intelligence program[3] and, in accordance with the Joint Electronics Type Designation System, the "AN/FPS-108" designation represents the 108th design of an Army-Navy fixed radar (pulsed) electronic device for searching.[4][5]
Description
[edit]It initially employed a Control Data Corporation Cyber 74 mainframe computer for data processing.[6] Data from the radar is sent to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. It is also listed as a partner of the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office and works with the Missile Defense Agency,[1] under the control of the 21st Operations Group.[7]
The Cobra Dane radar has been upgraded to be integrated in the Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). The improvement includes midcourse BMDS sensor coverage by providing acquisition, tracking, object classification, and data that can be used for cueing, launch of interceptor missiles, and course updates of interceptors while retaining the site's legacy intelligence and space track missions. The Space Force maintains responsibility for the Cobra Dane radar operations, maintenance, and sustainment.[8]
Technical specifications
[edit]- Traveling wave tube l-fed phased-array, all-weather, long-range radar
- Provides midcourse coverage for the Ballistic Missile Defense System. Detects sea-launched or intercontinental ballistic missiles; Classifies reentry vehicles and other missile objects. Provides real-time information to Fire Control.
- Provides tracking of threat ballistic missiles sufficiently accurate to commit the launch of interceptors and to update the target tracks to the interceptor while the interceptor is in flight
- Has one radar face providing 136° of azimuth coverage. The radar face is approximately 95 feet (29 metres) in diameter; overall radar height is 120 feet (37 metres). Detects objects out to 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometres). It operates in the L-band frequency.[9]
See also
[edit]- Cobra Ball
- Cobra Eye
- AN/SPQ-11 Cobra Judy
- PAVE PAWS
- BMEWS
- Eareckson Air Station, Shemya island, Alaska
- Specific US radar and locations
- List of radars
- List of military electronics of the United States
References
[edit]- ^ a b "The Missile Defense Agency - MDA - U.S. Department of Defense" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-07-14. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- ^ "AN/FPS-108 COBRA DANE". fas.org. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
- ^ Colonel Bill Grimes, U.R. (2014). The History of Big Safari. Archway. p. 454. ISBN 9781480804562.
- ^ Winkler, David F. (1997). "Radar Systems Classification Methods". Searching the Skies: The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program (PDF). Langley AFB, Virginia: United States Air Force Headquarters Air Combat Command. p. 73. LCCN 97020912.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Avionics Department (2013). "Missile and Electronic Equipment Designations". Electronic Warfare and Radar Systems Engineering Handbook (PDF) (4 ed.). Point Mugu, California: Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division. pp. 2–8.1.
- ^ "Press report on Computer sale to PRC (THIS LINK POINTS TO THE WRONG DOCUMENT)". United States Department of State. 1976-10-30. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- ^ Steve Brady. "Wing adopts new (again) space surveillance mission". afspc.af.mil. Archived from the original on 2014-12-20. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
- ^ "MDA - Sensors". Mda.mil. Retrieved 2022-08-28.
- ^ Missile Defense Agency (2024). "Cobra Dane Fact Sheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 March 2025.
External links
[edit]- National Security Space Roadmap COBRA DANE Overview Archived 2015-04-09 at the Wayback Machine
- NASA Orbital Debris Program Office Archived 2019-03-28 at the Wayback Machine
- Raytheon – Upgrades, etc.
- Space Surveillance Sensors: The Cobra Dane Radar. Article at the Mostlymissiledefence Blog.
Cobra Dane
View on GrokipediaHistory
Development and Construction
The AN/FPS-108 Cobra Dane radar system originated from U.S. efforts to monitor Soviet ballistic missile tests during the Cold War, with roots tracing to the Rome Air Development Center's (RADC) early phased-array research initiated as far back as 1955 under the SARAC program.[12] In February 1972, Headquarters U.S. Air Force formally assigned technical engineering oversight to RADC to develop a dedicated surveillance radar for tracking intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) launched toward impact areas in Kamchatka and the Pacific Ocean.[12] Raytheon was selected as the prime contractor following competitive requests for proposals issued to industry.[12] The development contract was awarded in June 1973, focusing on a large L-band (1215-1400 MHz) phased-array radar to provide high-resolution metric and signature data for intelligence purposes.[5][12] Construction occurred at Eareckson Air Station on Shemya Island, Alaska, selected for its proximity to Soviet test ranges and orientation toward potential launch trajectories.[12] RADC provided ongoing technical assistance through the Electronic Systems Division during site preparation and array assembly, which featured a 29-meter single-faced antenna.[12] The system was completed in 1976, with testing commencing that October.[13][14] Cobra Dane achieved initial operational capability and was formally transferred to Aerospace Defense Command in July 1977, enabling real-time tracking to support arms control verification and strategic intelligence collection.[5][12] The radar's design emphasized reliability for remote operation, contributing to its long-term sustainment despite the challenging Aleutian environment.[10]Initial Deployment and Cold War Role
The AN/FPS-108 Cobra Dane radar system, developed by Raytheon under a contract awarded on June 6, 1973, was constructed on Shemya Island in the Aleutian chain of Alaska to replace earlier AN/FPS-17 and AN/FPS-80 radars at what was then Shemya Air Force Base (later redesignated Eareckson Air Station).[15][16] Construction was completed by late 1976, with initial testing commencing in October 1976, marking the transition to a advanced phased-array capability optimized for long-range surveillance over the North Pacific.[16][15] The system achieved initial operational capability in July 1977, entering service as the most powerful single-faced phased-array radar of its era, operating in the L-band (1215-1400 MHz) with a 29-meter antenna face directed toward Soviet territory.[5][12] During the Cold War, Cobra Dane's primary function was to provide real-time tracking and intelligence collection on Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) tests launched from sites in the eastern USSR, particularly those impacting the Kamchatka Peninsula, enabling verification of arms control treaties such as SALT II.[15][12] It supported early warning against potential sea-launched ballistic missile threats and contributed to the Air Force's Spacetrack system by cataloging space objects, including Soviet launches, thereby enhancing U.S. assessments of adversary capabilities without reliance on less precise over-the-horizon or airborne sensors.[16][15] Operational data from the radar fed into national command centers, informing strategic deterrence postures amid escalating tensions, though its fixed, forward-facing design limited coverage to specific threat vectors from Asia.[12] The system's endurance in harsh Aleutian conditions underscored its role in maintaining continuous surveillance, with minimal downtime reported during peak Soviet testing periods in the late 1970s and 1980s.[15]Post-Cold War Transitions
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the AN/FPS-108 Cobra Dane radar experienced operational adjustments driven by reduced strategic threats and budgetary constraints within the U.S. military. Its primary mission of monitoring Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile tests diminished in priority, leading to the elimination of its dedicated role in the Space Surveillance Network (SSN) in April 1994 to achieve cost savings.[17] Operations were scaled back to a reduced duty cycle of 1.5%—one-quarter of its previous 6.0%—lowering average power output while maintaining the capability to surge to full power in under 30 seconds if needed, thereby saving approximately $5 million annually.[3][17] By the late 1990s, evolving requirements prompted partial reconnection to the SSN in October 1999 following evaluation tests, though full-power continuous operations remained limited.[17] A significant shift occurred in March 2003, when additional funding from Air Force Space Command enabled resumption of continuous full-power operations, with an enhanced emphasis on space surveillance, including tracking orbital debris and uncataloged objects via a newly implemented wide-area debris search fence.[5][17] This transition aligned Cobra Dane more closely with Space Domain Awareness objectives, expanding its catalog capacity from 5,000 to 12,000 space objects and integrating it as a key sensor in the SSN for low-Earth orbit satellite monitoring.[2] Command and ownership evolved to reflect these mission changes. In 2014, responsibility transferred to Air Force Space Command (now U.S. Space Force), marking a formal alignment with space-focused operations under the 21st Space Wing.[5] Concurrently, upgrades in 2004 enhanced its missile defense contributions, positioning it as a frontline asset for detecting sea-launched and intercontinental ballistic missiles, classifying re-entry vehicles, and supporting Ground-Based Midcourse Defense integration.[18] By 2015, sustainment strategies were approved to address aging infrastructure, while missions broadened to include deep-space satellite tracking and automatic transitions to missile defense mode upon threat detection.[10][1] These adaptations ensured Cobra Dane's continued relevance amid post-Cold War fiscal pressures and emerging threats from non-Russian actors.[10]Technical Specifications
Radar Architecture
The AN/FPS-108 Cobra Dane radar employs a single-faced, fixed passive electronically scanned array (PESA) design, enabling electronic beam steering without mechanical rotation.[19] This architecture consists of a large planar array mounted on a stationary structure, with phase shifters controlling the signal phase across elements to form and direct the radar beam.[2] The system operates in the L-band frequency range of 1215-1400 MHz, utilizing linear frequency modulation for pulse compression to achieve high range resolution.[12] [17] The antenna face measures 29 meters (95 feet) in diameter and incorporates 34,768 total elements, of which 15,360 are active radiating elements fed by a corporate power distribution network.[2] [12] Inactive elements serve as fillers to maintain the array's structural integrity and uniform aperture. The design provides 136 degrees of azimuth coverage, originally limited to ±60 degrees but later expanded through modifications to the beam-forming network.[3] [17] Signal processing in the architecture supports multiple modes, including narrowband for long-range detection and wideband (up to 200 MHz bandwidth with 1 ms pulses) for precise tracking of ballistic missiles and reentry vehicles.[17] The transmitter subsystem delivers high peak power distributed across the active elements, while receivers handle returns with low noise figures to detect small radar cross-section targets at extended ranges.[2] This configuration prioritizes simultaneous multi-target tracking, leveraging the phased array's inherent capability for rapid beam repositioning.[20]Detection and Tracking Capabilities
The AN/FPS-108 Cobra Dane is a single-faced, L-band phased-array radar operating in the 1175-1375 MHz frequency range, enabling long-range detection and high-volume tracking of airborne and space objects through electronic beam steering without mechanical movement.[1][9] This architecture supports simultaneous observation of multiple targets by dividing the array into subarrays for independent beam formation, providing metric data on position, velocity, and trajectory for ballistic missiles, aircraft, and orbital debris.[2][12] In its primary missile defense role, Cobra Dane detects and tracks intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches over a horizon-limited range exceeding 3,200 kilometers (2,000 miles), delivering midcourse tracking data with sufficient accuracy for target classification and interceptor cueing.[3] The system's 29-meter (95-foot) diameter aperture yields angular resolution on the order of 1-2 degrees, allowing discrimination of warhead clusters from decoys during reentry phases, though L-band propagation limits fine-range resolution compared to higher-frequency radars.[2][17] For space domain awareness, Cobra Dane extends detection to geosynchronous orbits at up to 46,000 kilometers, capable of identifying and cataloging objects as small as 4-5 centimeters in diameter across a 120-degree azimuthal sector with elevation coverage from horizon to zenith.[2][17] Post-2000 upgrades enhanced autonomous fence-tasking for newly detected low-earth orbit objects, enabling real-time track initialization and handover to global sensor networks without operator intervention.[21] The radar maintains continuous surveillance volumes by scanning up to 60 degrees off boresight, prioritizing high-velocity threats while queuing hundreds of tracks per minute.[2][1]Site and Infrastructure
The AN/FPS-108 Cobra Dane radar is located at Eareckson Air Station on Shemya Island, Alaska, in the western Aleutian Islands chain, approximately 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage and strategically positioned near the Russian Far East.[3][5] The installation occupies the northwest corner of the air station, optimizing its field of view for surveillance across the North Pacific and Bering Sea regions.[5][9] The core infrastructure centers on a fixed, ground-based phased-array antenna with a single face approximately 95 feet in diameter, containing 15,360 L-band (1175-1375 MHz) radiating elements covering about 100 by 100 feet.[3][22][9] Construction of the facility began in the mid-1970s under U.S. Air Force Program 633A, achieving operational status in August 1977 after replacing earlier detection radars like the AN/FPS-17 and AN/FPS-80.[23][2] The structure houses transmit/receive modules, signal processing equipment, and environmental controls suited to the island's severe weather, including high winds, fog, and seismic activity common to the region.[12] Supporting systems integrate with Eareckson Air Station utilities for prime power generation and potable water distribution, ensuring self-sustained operations in this remote, austere environment lacking mainland connections.[9] Communication infrastructure encompasses local networks alongside wide- and narrow-band links for real-time data relay to command centers, complemented by an on-site operations and test complex for maintenance, calibration, and preliminary data processing.[20] Logistical access relies on the air station's airfield, which facilitates personnel rotations, equipment deliveries, and sustainment in an area closer to Russia than to continental Alaska.[12][20]