HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier's S1850M Long Range Radar Tracks Aircraft

HMS Queen Elizabeth crew switch on its radar for first time - Naval Technology

World Defence News: HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier's S1850M Long Range Radar Tested by Tracking Aircraft

The crew of HMS Queen Elizabeth flashed up the new carrier's 'invisible eyes' as part of ongoing preparations to ready the leviathan for sea next year. The S1850M radar – the same as those fitted to Type 45 and Horizon destroyers – is a large black slab (over eight tonnes, 32 square metres) sitting on top of the carrier’s forward island.

Weapon engineers PO Ian 'Mac' McDonald said: "Having been a part of the long range radar programme since it was delivered to Rosyth back in October 2013, it's very satisfying to see it 'turning and burning' - a milestone nearly two years in the making.
"It shows both the progress of the ship's radar section in conjunction with mission systems, and that Queen Elizabeth is another step closer to becoming an operational warship."

During the restricted operation, the radar compiled an air picture, tracking aircraft on approach to Glasgow airport, which is 40 miles to the west of Rosyth, as well as transatlantic traffic to and from the rest of the UK. The radar has not been switched to full power yet due to the current power and safety limitations.

The S1850M is capable of automatic detection, track initiation and tracking of up to 1,000 air targets at a range of 400 km. The S1850M provides 3-dimensional track/plot data of the tactical threat and own forces within the operational environment.Its performance has already been tested on land, where the system has proven to be highly capable of detecting stealth targets in a land clutter environment. Furthermore, the system has proven to be able to detect and track outer atmosphere objects for future Theatre Ballistic Missile Defense (TBMD) capabilities. Thales Naval Systems and Alenia Marconi Systems carried out the S1850M development.


S1850M is the long range radar (LRR) of the Principal Anti Air Missile System used on the Royal Navy’s Type 45 Destroyers and French/Italian Horizon Frigates. It has also been selected for the UK’s Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.