AN/SPG-62

The AN/SPG-62 is a continuous wave fire-control radar developed by the United States, and it is currently deployed on warships equipped with the Aegis Combat System.[1] It provides terminal target illumination for the semi-active SM-2MR/ER and ESSM Block 1 surface-to-air missiles.[2][3] It also provides illumination for the active SM-6 if it is used in semi-active mode. The antenna is mechanically steered,[4] uses a parabolic reflector,[5] and operates at 8 to 12 GHz (I–J Band).[2][1] The system is a component of the Mk 99 fire-control system (FCS).[1]

AN/SPG-62
The two rearward AN/SPG-62 fire-control radars aboard JS Kirishima (DDG-174)
Country of originUnited States
DesignerRaytheon
TypeMissile fire-control
Frequency8–12 GHz (I–J Band)
Power10 kW (average)

The first units were installed on the cruiser USS Ticonderoga, which was commissioned in 1983. Since then, the SPG-62 has been placed in service with many U.S. and foreign navy ships that have the Aegis Combat System.

The SPG-62's role in Aegis fire control is to illuminate targets in the terminal interception phase. First, the ship's main search radars—either the AN/SPY-1 or the AN/SPY-6—detect and track the target. The Mk 99 FCS then launches surface-to-air missile(s) to intercept. If the interceptor missile uses semi-active radar homing (SM-2 or ESSM Block 1), it will need an external radar to illuminate its target for terminal guidance, which is where the SPG-62 comes into play. The Mk 99 FCS points an SPG-62 toward the target, and it shoots a narrow radar beam that reflects off the target. The interceptor missile's passive receiver homes in on these reflected emissions.[4]

It uses a very narrow beam of radiofrequency (RF) radiation. This accomplishes four things:

  1. Provides very precise target tracking
  2. Gives the AN/SPG-62 a high radar resolution, which makes it more effective in determining if there is one contact or multiple contacts[4]
  3. Enables the AN/SPG-62 to serve as a secondary, rudimentary search radar (in conjunction with the SPY-1 or SPY-6)[4]
  4. Requires a relatively low level of energy to operate (10 kW peak power on average)[1]

Because illumination is only needed for the last few seconds prior to interception,[4] a ship can have more semi-active SAMs in the air than it has SPG-62s. In the event of a saturation attack, the Aegis Combat System can time-share each AN/SPG-62 to serve multiple semi-active interceptors in the air at once.[6]

Users
Navy Ship class # of AN/SPG-62 per ship
 Royal Australian Navy Hobart-class destroyer 2
 Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Atago-class destroyer 3
Maya-class destroyer 3
Kongō-class destroyer 3
 Republic of Korea Navy Sejong the Great-class destroyer 3
 Royal Norwegian Navy Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate 2
 Spanish Navy Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate 2
F110-class frigate 2
 United States Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer 3
Ticonderoga-class cruiser 4

References
  1. "AN/SPG-62 Fire Control Radar". www.globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  2. Donaldson, Peter (2008). "Electronic Warfare Handbook 2008". Sandy Doyle. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.174.4209. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022.
  3. "Evolved Seasparrow Missile (ESSM)". Missile Threat. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  4. "Fire Controlman, Volume 2–Fire-Control Radar Fundamentals" (PDF). Naval Education and Training Professional Development Center. October 2000. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  5. "Contracts for July 29, 2019". U.S. Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  6. "CG-47 Ticonderoga-class". www.globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
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