Lockheed Martin’s Radar Center of Excellence has reached a production milestone with the delivery of its 500th ground-based air surveillance radar — a Q-53 system — to a customer.
In a statement, Rick Cordaro, vice president of Lockheed Martin Radar and Sensor Systems, said the achievement “reflects our long history of delivering radar capabilities that are transforming the way our customers detect and respond to emerging threats. We’re proud to be at the forefront of radar innovation that is making a real difference in the field.”
Ground-based radars are central to modern missile defense, providing the first layer of protection against ballistic missile threats.
As Lockheed Martin notes, these systems act as both the “eyes” and “shield” of a layered defense network, detecting, tracking, and identifying incoming threats to enable timely interception.
The Q-53 solid-state phased array radar is designed for flexible deployment. It can operate in either 360-degree or 90-degree modes, detecting, classifying, tracking, and pinpointing the source of enemy indirect fire. It replaces the U.S. Army’s legacy AN/TPQ-36 and AN/TPQ-37 medium-range radars, offering improved mobility, reliability, and lower life-cycle costs.
Lockheed Martin says the Q-53’s active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology provides the foundation for multi-mission capabilities. The system has demonstrated the ability to track unmanned aerial systems while simultaneously conducting counter-battery missions, allowing a single sensor to support multiple operational needs.
Lockheed Martin’s radars are in service with more than 30 nations across six continents. Over the past five decades, the company has expanded its portfolio to include systems such as the TPS-77 MRR, TPY-4, FPS-117, and the Sentinel A4, each addressing different surveillance and defense requirements.