SCANFAR

SCANFAR
Bill Larkins · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	SCANFAR
Type	Naval air and surface search radar
Manufacturer	Hughes Aircraft Company
Introduced	1960s
Frequency	S-band and X-band

SCANFAR. It was a pioneering integrated shipboard radar system developed for the United States Navy in the 1960s. The system combined two distinct radar types, an S-band search set and an X-band tracking set, into a single antenna array using advanced phased array technology. Its most notable deployment was aboard the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS Long Beach (CGN-9) and the unique nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65), representing a significant leap in naval electronic warfare and air defense capabilities.

Overview

The SCANFAR system was conceived to provide superior long-range detection and high-resolution tracking for the United States Navy's most advanced capital ships. It integrated the functions of the AN/SPS-32 search radar and the AN/SPS-33 tracking radar, both utilizing fixed passive phased array antennas. This design eliminated the need for rotating dishes, allowing for continuous, rapid scanning of the skies and sea. The system was a cornerstone of the Enterprise's original island superstructure, giving the carrier a distinctive square-sided appearance. Its development was driven by the need to counter high-speed threats like Soviet bomber aircraft and early anti-ship missiles during the Cold War.

Development and design

Development of SCANFAR was led by the Hughes Aircraft Company, a leader in radar and aerospace technology, under contract from the U.S. Department of Defense. The design philosophy centered on using a fixed, planar array composed of thousands of individual radiating elements, a significant departure from conventional rotating antennas like the AN/SPS-48. The AN/SPS-32 provided volume search using S-band frequencies, while the more precise AN/SPS-33 operated in X-band for target illumination and fire control, primarily for the RIM-2 Terrier and RIM-8 Talos missile systems. This integration required massive computing power for beam steering and signal processing, relying on the UNIVAC AN/USQ-20 naval tactical data system computers, which were state-of-the-art at the time.

Operational history

SCANFAR entered service aboard the USS Long Beach (CGN-9) in 1961 and the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) in 1962. During the Vietnam War, the system on *Enterprise* provided long-range air surveillance over the Gulf of Tonkin, vectoring McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighters for combat air patrols. However, operational experience revealed significant shortcomings. The system was notoriously complex, requiring extensive maintenance and highly specialized technicians from the Hughes Aircraft Company. It suffered from reliability issues, particularly in high-humidity and salt-spray environments, and its performance was often degraded by electronic interference. These problems led to high operational costs and limited availability, which ultimately precipitated its removal.

Variants

The SCANFAR system itself was a specific combination of its two constituent radars, and no direct variants were produced. However, the technological lessons learned directly influenced the development of its successor, the AN/SPS-48 three-dimensional air search radar, which used a frequency-scanning phased array within a rotating antenna. The fixed-array concept was later revived and perfected with the introduction of the Aegis Combat System and its AN/SPY-1 active electronically scanned array radar, which equipped the Ticonderoga-class cruiser and Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The AN/SPS-32 and AN/SPS-33 were not installed on any other vessels besides *Long Beach* and *Enterprise*.

Legacy and impact

Despite its operational difficulties, SCANFAR's legacy is profound as a bold technological experiment. It was the world's first operational shipborne phased array radar system, demonstrating the potential of electronic beam steering for modern naval warfare. Its failures provided invaluable data that guided subsequent research and development at institutions like the Naval Research Laboratory. The system paved the way for the revolutionary AN/SPY-1 radar, which became the heart of the Aegis Combat System and a key component of the Ballistic Missile Defense System. Both the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) and USS Long Beach (CGN-9) had their SCANFAR arrays removed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, replaced by more reliable conventional radars, marking the end of an ambitious but formative chapter in naval radar history.

Category:Naval radar of the United States Category:Cold War electronics of the United States Category:Hughes Aircraft Company