Experts have zeroed in on the top priority for Iran's ballistic missile units if the Islamic Republic is forced into a military confrontation with the United States. They claim that if Washington's war machine unleashes its wrath on Tehran, its countermeasure will be to hit the AN/TPY-2 radar systems across the Middle East.
The American AN/TPY-2 radar systems are positioned in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, and are integral to the air defence offered to these Gulf nations by Patriot, Aegis, and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems. Any damage to or destruction of these radars could considerably reduce the early warning capabilities of these nations—making them more vulnerable to ballistic strikes. Thus, the USA’s Middle Eastern allies could urge Donald Trump to stand down, as they too stand to lose if a conflict breaks out. Many experts also stated that Iran could well have been pinning its hopes on these countries to calm the situation.
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"For Gulf states, hosting US missile defence infrastructure increases protection but at the same time increases exposure, creating a strategic paradox where defensive alignment invites counter-targeting. The reluctance of Saudi Arabia and the UAE to allow their airspace to be used for US operations against Iran reflects this calculation, as leadership weighs the alliance's credibility against domestic vulnerabilities," Defence Security Asia said in a report.
What are AN/TPY-2 radar systems?
Developed by Raytheon Technologies, the AN/TPY-2 radar systems play a pivotal role in increasing the reaction window available for interceptor missiles. They are a core component of the US Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) and provide an optimum early warning timeline against incoming aerial threats for the operators.
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The AN/TPY-2 radar consists of four elements: an antenna unit, an electronics unit, a cooling unit, and a power generator unit. It is capable of operating in two modes: Forward-Based Mode (FBM) and Terminal Mode (TM). In its forward-based mode, the AN/TPY-2 is emplaced close to potential launch areas and provides missile tracking. In terminal mode, the AN/TPY-2 is co-located with a THAAD battery and directly supports THAAD’s detection and engagement, guiding interceptors toward an incoming target, csis.org said in a report.
The AN/TPY-2 radar has a Gallium Nitride (GaN) populated array in the system. GaN is a glasslike material that offers key advantages over other radio frequency semiconductors in energy efficiency, weight, and power output. According to Raytheon, GaN technology provides greater sensitivity to increase range as well as expand surveillance capacity.
Why AN/TPY-2 radar systems are special?
AN/TPY-2 radars outperform conventional surveillance systems due to their capability to produce high-resolution X-band detection and tracking of ballistic missiles across the boost, intermediate, and terminal phases.
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The boost phase happens immediately after launch when a missile is easiest to detect because of its bright exhaust plume and predictable upward path. During the midcourse or intermediate phase, it follows a path determined mainly by gravity; the warhead may separate from the booster and may even deploy a decoy. In the terminal phase, which is the final stage of a ballistic missile's descent, the warhead re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere and heads toward its target.
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The radar is capable of detecting and tracking missiles at ranges exceeding 3,000 kilometres, Defence Security Asia said in a report. This extends the early warning timeline by several minutes, which makes a huge difference to the success rate of interceptors.
They also feature active electronically scanned array (AESA) architecture, which can separate warheads from decoys and guide interceptors to the warhead without being duped by or mixed up with debris or friendly countermeasures already mid-air. the USA's Middle East allies have integrated TPY-2 data into the Patriot and THAAD intercept sequences and would not like Tehran threatening the crux of their air defence capabilities.
