Trust Automation to deliver motion control system for Lockheed’s counterfire radars

Trust Automation has been awarded a contract by Lockheed Martin for delivery of rugged and high tech vehicle automation system for the AN/TPQ-53 (Q-53) radars.

The latest award marks Trust Automation’s fourth of its kind contract from Lockheed Martin.

The motion control systems have been designed to automatically level the vehicle that hosts the radar, and then lift and rotate the counterfire radar.

Trust Automation chief executive officer Ty Safreno said: "Trust Automation has been providing industry leading power density, accuracy, and reliability, for the electro-mechanical control systems needed for the Next Generation of DoD heavy military equipment including the AN/TPQ-53 since 2008.

"Due to the continued success of the AN/TPQ-53 delivered systems by Trust Automation, a fourth contract has been awarded."

The AN/TPQ-53 is a quick reaction capability (QRC) mobile radar system intended to detect, classify and track in-flight projectiles launched from mortar, artillery and rocket systems through a 90° or continuous 360° sector search.

With better operational and physical functionality than existing AN/TPQ 36 radars systems, the new AN/TPQ-53 radar offers target location of threat indirect fire systems with adequate accuracy, allowing more effective detection and counter-battery actions in the battlefield.

The solid-state phased array radar can be mounted on a 5t truck and rapidly deployed, automatically levelled as well as remotely controlled using a laptop computer or via a fully equipped climate-controlled command vehicle.

Further, the radar enables personnel to locate and neutralise mortar and rocket threats in rapidly developing security landscape of unconventional battlefields and irregular warfare.