The Navy now has in operation a relatively new sensor, the AN/TPS-71 radar, that can provide wide area surveillance over a more than one million square mile area and out to ranges of 2000 nmi. This radar was procured primarily to support Naval Battle Groups by providing early warning of airborne threats. This radar is called ROTHR for Relocatable Over-The-Horizon Radar. In addition to the primary mission this type of radar has other capabilities including remote sea and weather sensing. HF radar that employs the ocean surface attached wave offers a means for detection of sea skimming missiles, aircraft, and ships at shorter but beyond line-of-sight ranges with a ship-borne installation. A current Advanced Technology Demonstration will show applicability of this sensor.
