AN/SPS-48

History

the AN/SPS-48 is the USN's ultimate FRESCAN (FREquency SCANning) rotating 3-D air search radar. The first specification for the radar was written in 1956. It was developed because AN/SPS-39 had insuficcient range for the Talos missile system. The first production set went to sea on board the cruiser Worden in March 1965. From 1967 onwards SPS-48 radars were used to replace AN/SPS-39 radars on the USN missile frigate classes.

SPS-48A, B , C and D are all using the same antenna. SPS-48 E and G use a new antenna. SPS-48E was developed as part of the New Thread Update (NTU) and was initially called SPS-48NTU. It uses fewer components while having twice the average power as the previous variants. The first ship to be fitted with it was USS Biddle.

As many ships using the SPS-48E radar were decomissioned early and replaced by AEGIS ships, many SPS-48 radars ended up on aircraft carriers and amphibious ships. The SPS-48E radars still in use by the USN are being upgraded to the visually identical SPS-48G radar to allow for future upgrades, higher reliability and maintainability. In addition, some ships are fitted with new build SPS-48G radars. The radar is expected to remain in service well into the 2050's.

There is some variation in the IFF antenna's used by SPS-48. These are visible as the bar on top of the radar antenna.

Used on

• unknown

Affiliated systems

• AN/SPS-49

Part description

The part shows the 2 antenna variations: the antenna used by SPS-48 A, B, C and D on the left and the SPS-48E and G antenna on the right.