AN/SPS-8
# AN/SPS-8

AN/SPS-8 is a two-dimensional radar manufactured by General Electric. It was used by the US Navy as a height finding radar after World War II, and was equipped aboard naval ships during the Cold War. Variants include AN/SPS-8A, AN-SPS/8B, AN/SPS-8C and AN/SPS-8D After modernization, it was redesignated as AN/SPS-30.

## AN/SPS-8

It worked in two modes in terms of range - with a pulse frequency of 1000 Hz (pulse duration 1 μs, range 154 km) and 500 Hz (2 μs, 308 km). In a real situation, the F2H aircraft was detected at a distance of 111 km (SPS-8A / B modifications - 133 km).

The target elevation angle was determined by scanning the beam in the vertical plane with a frequency of 5, 10 or 20 Hz (in the SPS-8B modification -6, 12 and 16.5 Hz). The accuracy of determining the height was 150 m. The deflection of the beam in elevation was carried out by a Robinson Scanner feed in modifications SPS-8 and SPS-8A and an organ-type feed in modification SPS-8B

In the SPS-8A modification, the capacity was increased from 650 kW to 1 MW with a design capacity of 2 MW. In the 2-μs pulse mode, pulse repetition rates of 450 and 750 Hz were provided.

The SPS-8 and SPS-8A used the same mesh antennas. SPS-8B, first tested in January–June 1956 and put into service in 1959, had a high gain antenna (41 instead of 37.4 dB), a narrower beam (1.2 ° × 1.5 °) wider scanning sector in elevation (12 °) at a vertical scanning frequency of 6, 12 and 16.5 Hz.

The information was displayed on the VK circular view indicator (Model VK Plan Position Indicator) and the VL range-height indicator (Model VL Range-Height Indicator).

### On board ships

**United States**

* Essex-class aircraft carrier
* AN/SPS-8A aboard USS Canberra Midway-class aircraft carrier
* Forrestal-class aircraft carrier
* Independence-class aircraft carrier
* Iowa-class battleship
* Baltimore-class cruiser
* Worcester-class cruiser
* Boston-class cruiser
* Providence-class cruiser
* Galveston-class cruiser
* Mitscher-class destroyer
* Gearing-class destroyer
* Guardian-class radar picket ship

**Canada**

* HMCS Bonaventure

## AN/SPS-30

Based on the SPS-8B, the best American sweeping beam radar, the SPS-30, was created, which used a high gain antenna and a 2.5 MW klystron. Work on its creation began in 1956. It is a three-dimensional radar.

It was planned to upgrade the SPS-8 and SPS-8A to SPS-8C / D with the installation of the same antennas and klystrons as on the SPS-30, but these plans were not implemented, although at the end of 1957, 30 new antennas were produced.

A modification of the SPS-8 was the CXRX radar,

### On board ships

**United States**

* Essex-class aircraft carrier
* Boston-class cruiser
* USS Atlanta
* Galveston-class cruiser
* Gearing-class destroyer

**Canada**

* HMCS Bonaventure

## See More

* List of radars
* Radar configurations and types
* Height finding radar

## Citations

* ↑ "AN/SPS-8 - Radartutorial". www.radartutorial.eu. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
* ↑ "US Navy Radar Picket Ships". www.radomes.org. Archived from the original on 2002-08-04. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
