The Russian military will deploy a new over-the-horizon (OTH) radar in Kaliningrad, according to state media.

Last Thursday, a source in the Russian defense industry told state-owned media outlet TASS Russian News Agency that the military is to deploy a Konteiner OTH radar in the country’s exclave on the Baltic Sea, Kaliningrad.

According to the source, “Several potential sites are now being considered.” The radar system should be deployed “in the short-term perspective”.

The radar system in Kaliningrad “will complement the first one, which entered service in Mordovia” in December of last year, TASS’ source added.

The source was quoted as saying that the Kaliningrad-based radar should “be capable of monitoring the entire territory of Europe, including the United Kingdom.”

3000km circle around Kaliningrad.

Each Konteiner system is said to be able to track cruise and hypersonic missiles at distances of up to 3,000 kilometres however that information is purely speculative.

Konteiner is also to be deployed to cover the Arctic region as well, TASS reported earlier.

How an OTH radar works: A powerful shortwave signal from a large transmitting antenna (left) reaches a target beyond the horizon by refracting off the ionosphere, and the echo signal from the target (right) returns to the receiving antenna by the same route.

 

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
3 years ago

For the UK version, have a look at Ayios Nikolios.

Wonder if this will screw up signals like the Cold War “Russian Woodpecker” ?

David Barry
David Barry
3 years ago

You’d love Latvia!

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
3 years ago
Reply to  David Barry

Why Barry?

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
3 years ago

David!! Sorry!

David Barry
David Barry
3 years ago

Skrunda and the radio telescope at Irbene (sp) – lot of old soviet sites here.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ventspils_International_Radio_Astronomy_Centre)

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
3 years ago
Reply to  David Barry

Skrunda. Recognised the name, wasn’t sure where it was. Cheers.

DaveyB
DaveyB
3 years ago

I’m pretty certain the diagram with the all round view is incorrect. The radar is a bi-static system, i.e. transmitter and receiver are in two different location. But the transmitter uses fixed dipole on towers arranged along a “fence” line making it a fixed plannar array i.e. not moving. The fixed di-pole can use electronic beam steering or omni broadcast, but is limited to a view of +/- 60 degrees either side of the boresight, thus giving a view window of 120 degrees forward and 120 degrees rearwards making a total of 240 degrees, not the 3260 degrees as depicted.… Read more »

Spyinthesky
Spyinthesky
3 years ago
Reply to  DaveyB

I visited the old Cobra Mist site at Orford Ness a few years back which had fascinated new back in the 70s 80s. One presumes if it was a Rusian ‘fishing boat’ or breed whatever that caused the interference I presume that they have managed to find ways around it as various versions of the technology, is I now discover is exploited around the globe. What has changed I wonder.

DaveyB
DaveyB
3 years ago
Reply to  Spyinthesky

Over The Horizon radar is incredibly fickle, much like HF radio, it totally relies on the height of the ionosphere, which is constantly changing during a 24hr period. I think the reason why it has become practical recently is with the advances of computer power, especially when programmed for signal processing and filtering. I seem to recall that because of the angle the signal hits the ground around 90% bounces forward and is lost, with only 10% bouncing back from backscatter. If you add in the inverse power rule, even less of the original transmitted signal is received by the… Read more »

Spyinthesky
Spyinthesky
3 years ago
Reply to  DaveyB

I was interested to see that a few of the Aerials that were retained at Orford Ness and the control building itself were repurposed for the BBC world service. So not all has been lost I guess. Amazingly historical site there in the history of radar and radio range fnding (amongst other things) right back to the 20s. Even had a fascinating insight into sheep farming by a shepherd there, certainly an ‘other world’ varied experience. Well worth a visit.

Supportive Bloke
Supportive Bloke
3 years ago
Reply to  DaveyB

Cobra Mist was before full DSP (Digital Signal Processing) and DQD (Digital Quadrature Detection) were possible. The electronics will have moved on quite a bit, the computational will have moved on by side by orders of magnitude. You gave a comment I made on another thread about the use of synthetic array receivers short shrift. Pause and noodle this for a moment. Then have a think what a row of 5G base stations on every other lamp post looks like – oh gosh just like a Synthetic receiver array. The point being that the transmit side needs the power, as… Read more »

Frank62
Frank62
3 years ago

Didn’t we attempt something similar at Orford Nes in the cold war?

Rudeboy
Rudeboy
3 years ago
Reply to  Frank62

Yes Cobra Mist