The Sea-Based X-Band Radar being transported by ship
The Sea-Based X-Band Radar being transported by ship
The radar can detect airborne ICBM warheads up to 2500 miles away.
The radar can detect airborne ICBM warheads up to 2500 miles away.
For reference, that's about 1/10th the circumference of the Earth.
In SI units that's about 4'000 kilometers. The Earth circumference is almost exactly 40'000 kilometers (by historical definition).
Guessing you don't want to be standing right next to the dome when it pings, then... 😳
"One ping only, Vasily."
What’s “x-band” mean
Edit: ah.
In radar engineering, the frequency range is specified by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) as 8.0–12.0 GHz. The X band is used for radar, satellite communication, and wireless computer networks.
Slightly less for comms eng.
WiFi will probably creep in at the lower end of that soon. We're only 2Ghz away!
WiGig was 60Ghz, I would bet we would take a second stab at that before picking a new range.
Where’s it going ?
This is an old photograph from 2006, taken as the ship arrives at Pearl Harbour. The Radar was being moved from Corpus Christi, Texas.
Wait, is THAT what those do? I used to see a bunch of them in the hills around a major airforce base. Jokingly called them the “Epcot” spheres.
Yeah, they have a load of these radars at a military base near where I live in the UK. They’re called Radomes, but are commonly referred to as “The Golf Balls” around here lol
How do they unload that? Do they kind of just tilt it into the water, or is there a giant crane freighter ship waiting at its destination?
Blue Marlin is a semi-submersible ship, which means that it can lower itself partly underwater to allow its cargo to move on/off. The ship is designed primarily to move oil rigs around, with this being a special case. The radar itself is actually a converted oil rig.
Blue Marlin preparing to offload an oil rig:
Oh sick, thanks!
They are really pulling out all the stops for the new "Raft" sequel.