Lockheed Martin has secured a $1.6bn contract to produce additional AN/TPQ-53 counterfire radar systems for the US Army.

Using the Q-53 radar system, troops in combat will be able to detect, classify, track and identify the location of enemy indirect fire in either 360° or 90° modes.

The radar system can be readily adapted to provide both air surveillance and counterfire target acquisition in one tactical sensor, Lockheed stated.

Lockheed Martin Q-53 radar programme director Rick Herodes said: “What’s so special about the Q-53 radar system is the inherent flexibility of its software controlled active electronically scanned array (AESA).

“Our engineers can adjust the Q-53’s software to address emerging threats. Having control in the software allows quick reaction to whatever comes next – so the first Q-53 radar system off the line could be quickly updated to be just as capable as the 170th Q-53 radar system.”

The Q-53 radar demonstrated its multi-mission radar (MMR) capability by identifying and tracking aerial systems and transmitting that information to a command and control node.