AN/TPQ-53

The AN/TPQ-53, or Q-53, was created for the US Army's need to modernize counterfire target acquisition. Lockheed Martin states that the system replaced legacy AN/TPQ-36 and AN/TPQ-37 radars, and US Army sustainment reporting confirms the transition. The program focused on improving reliability, mobility, crew burden, and coverage while preserving the core mission of detecting enemy rockets, artillery, and mortars.

The Q-53's AESA architecture is central to its value. Lockheed Martin describes 90-degree and 360-degree operating modes for detecting, classifying, tracking, and locating enemy indirect fire. The same architecture also supports multi-mission growth, including air surveillance and counter-UAS demonstrations. This makes Q-53 more adaptable than single-purpose counter-battery radars built around older electronics.

In service, Q-53 protects units by shortening the time between incoming fire and counterfire response. Lockheed Martin notes operational use over more than a decade, including Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Army's sustainment infrastructure shows the radar's importance as a long-term fleet item. Its continued evolution toward multi-mission sensing reflects battlefield demand for one radar to support counterfire, drone detection, and short-range air defense.