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AN/FPS-19
The AN/FPS-19 was a long-range search radar developed for the NORAD Distant Early Warning Line (DEW Line) by Raytheon. It was an L-band system working between 1220 and 1350 MHz produced by a 500 kW magnetron. Two such systems were placed back-to-back, one with an antenna that produced a narrow beam to improve range for long-range detection, and the second with a wider fan-shaped beam to cover higher angles at shorter ranges. The former could detect bomber-sized targets to about 160 miles (260 km) and the latter covered up to 65,000 ft (20,000 m) altitude. The system was developed from the AN/TPS-1, which dated to the late World War II era. Raytheon adapted it to the long-range role by designing much larger antenna systems and other modifications. The first examples were activated in 1957, along with the AN/FPS-23 radars that provided low-altitude coverage between the stations. The AN/FPS-23 was removed in 1963, and the FPS-19 was scheduled to be replaced by the somewhat more powerful AN/FPS-30. The declining role of bomber defense in the era of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) meant these upgrades were not carried out. The FPS-19 remained in service until the late 1980s when they were replaced by the AN/FPS-117 as part of the newly named North Warning System. The UK equivalent was the AMES Type 80, a significantly more powerful radar that formed the basis of their post-ROTOR network. In accordance with the Joint Electronics Type Designation System, the radar's "AN/FPS-19" designation represents the 19th design of an Army-Navy fixed radar(pulsed) electronic device for searching.[1][2] See alsoReferences
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