UPDATE: thanks to PS860 posting in the comments, the unidentified array is a 1RL23 (SCORE BOARD) IFF system. It's also a very small unit, and due to the size I misidentified the position in the imagery below. It actually sits east of the domed structure, and does not appear visible in the imagery. At least I got the IFF interrogator part right!
Rebel forces recently captured a radar site in northwestern Syria on 26 June, and subsequently released a video showing various radar systems. The image below depicts the radar site as it appeared in August of 2011. The site is located among the Sheikh Barakat ruins roughly 2.5 kilometers west of Dar Ta izzah in northwestern Syria, roughly 12 kilometers from the Turkish border.
Rebel forces recently captured a radar site in northwestern Syria on 26 June, and subsequently released a video showing various radar systems. The image below depicts the radar site as it appeared in August of 2011. The site is located among the Sheikh Barakat ruins roughly 2.5 kilometers west of Dar Ta izzah in northwestern Syria, roughly 12 kilometers from the Turkish border.
The site is noteworthy as it contains both FSU and Chinese EW sensors. An FSU P-12/18 (SPOON REST) radar system is present alongside a newer Chinese Type 120 2D surveillance radar. A third as yet unidentified array also appears in the video, and may represent either an additional radar array or an IFF interrogator.
The Type 120, along with JY-27 (WIDE MAT) radars noted at two other EW complexes east of Damascus, highlight the Chinese industry's connection with Syria. Given that the Type 120 represents a target acquisition sensor for SAM support in Chinese service, it is prudent to speculate as to whether Syria has acquired modern Chinese SAM systems to improve its air defense network.
The Type 120 first appeared in imagery of the Dar Ta izzah EW complex in June 2010, with the JY-27 present at one of the southern EW sites as early as August of 2009. It is therefore likely that the arms shipment containing these sensors was delivered no later than early 2009.
The radar array is JY-11B, a 3D radar with mast and vehicle configuration easily confused with Type 120.
ReplyDeleteThe radar array is very clear at 2:29 in the video.
I've got a handheld image of the same radar, it's either a Type 120 or an LSS-1, there's still a little bit of debate as to which it is. Either way this is most certainly not a JY-11B, the handheld image clearly shows the configuration of the array which matches the 16-row slotted planar array of the Type 120 and LSS-1, not the array of the JY-11B.
ReplyDeleteThe unidentified array appears to be a NRZ-12 / 1RL23 (SCORE BOARD) IFF antenna, probably connected to the P-18 radar. See http://www.rwd-mb3.de/pages/nrs12.htm for a description of the system. (Pretty good site for military stuff in East German service by the way.)
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Great reading as always Sean.
ReplyDeleteThe unidentified array stands east of the building with the cuppola, not north of it as you indicated. So, it's only half as far away from the cameraman while he pans over it, standing behind the P-18. so, it's quite small and PS860's ID matches perfect.
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely correct, I got the angles mixed up due to seriously overestimating the size of this thing. I've gone back and re-examined the imagery and while I have a better idea of where it is, it appears to be too small to actually show up.
ReplyDeleteor could this be the site?
ReplyDeletehttps://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/gec-military/3rWGzP0CSQ8
It's definitely the site I have listed. The buildings, terrain, vegetation, and radar systems are a direct match for what you see in the video.
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