AN/SPG-51
The AN/SPG-51 is an American tracking / illumination fire-control radar for RIM-24 Tartar and RIM-66 Standard missiles. It is used for target tracking and Surface-to-air missile guidance on Virginia-class cruisers, California-class cruisers, and Kidd-class destroyers.
_aft.jpg) The superstructure of the USS Richard E. Byrd (DDG-23) showing the ship's radars, 1983. There are two AN/SPG-51 directors shown directly in the center of the image. | |
| Country of origin | United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Pulse-Doppler radar, Missile fire-control |
| Precision | Fire control quality three-dimensional data |
The Italian Navy used it aboard their Audace class, Durand de la Penne class and Impavido-class destroyers. The French Cassard class, Royal Netherlands Navy Tromp class and Spanish Baleares class frigates also use this system.
Older variants were used on Charles F. Adams-class destroyers, as well as the related German Lütjens class and Perth class used by the Royal Australian Navy.
Aircraft tracking is based on monopulse radar utilizing Pulse-Doppler radar signal processing in MK 74 MOD 14 and MK 74 MOD 15. The MK 74 MOD 15 configuration includes continuous-wave radar tracking in addition to pulse-Doppler tracking. It provides illumination for bistatic radar operation associated with missile guidance in all configurations. Older systems rely on conical scanning rather than monopulse.
AN/SPG-51 radars of a Cassard class frigate