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I was curious about the (AN/FPS-132) radar, which is a significant cost-driver, and have come away unsure as to whether it was a US-asset (which seems to be wha
by nickff 7mo ago
I was curious about the (AN/FPS-132) radar, which is a significant cost-driver, and have come away unsure as to whether it was a US-asset (which seems to be what this website is tracking). Qatar seems to have ordered one of these radars, and I can't see any record of the US installing one of its own at the facility in question, but it is not clear (to me) who owns this unit, though it seems most likely to be Qatar. Additionally, the widely-circulated image of the 'destroyed' radar appears to be 'fake', with satellite images showing less-than-catastrophic damage:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/fact-check-fake-image-destroyed-092559186.html https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/fact-check-fake-image-de...
https://www.news18.com/world/iran-destroyed-uss-1-1-billion-ballistic-radar-at-qatar-base-satellite-images-confirm-damage-ws-l-9941758.html https://www.news18.com/world/iran-destroyed-uss-1-1-billion-...
- koverda 7mo agoPretty certain from this that it's a US asset: https://www.wpafb.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1114608/hanscom-awards-1-billion-for-qatars-new-radar/ https://www.wpafb.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/111460...
- nickff 7mo agoThanks for your link! The text seems to indicate the equipment is Qatar-owned: “The foreign military sale agreement, signed Dec. 7, 2016, requested AFLCMC provide the radar itself and associated mission support facilities at a remote location in Qatar.” For context, in the case of foreign military sales, the US government usually buys the equipment from its suppliers, then resells it to the foreign government.