RP-5
Contents
Description
The RP-5 is a Soviet airborne target detection and tracking radar. In game it is found fitted to the MiG-19PT.
Vehicles equipped with this radar
General info / usage
The RP-5 is unique among airborne radars in the game, in that it incorporates scanning and tracking capability into a single radar (other aircraft with target tracking use two separate radars). The search radar has fairly poor range, but decent overall scanning angles; the tracking radar has favourable range characteristics, but very poor tracking angles.
| Search Characteristics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Detection Range |
Guaranteed Detection Range |
Minimum Detection Range |
Range Settings |
| 12,000 m | 8,000 m | 300 m | 12 km |
| Search Modes | |||
| Search Mode | Azimuth Scan Angle |
Elevation Scan Angle |
Scan Time |
| Default | ±60° | ±40° | 1.30 s |
| Tracking Characteristics | |||
| Maximum Tracking Range |
Minimum Tracking Range |
Azimuth Tracking Angle |
Elevation Tracking Angle |
| 4,500 m | 100 m | ±7° | ±7° |
Comparison with analogues
With the exception of the German Lichtenstein radars (FuG 202 & FuG 220) the RP-5 has the worst range of any airborne search radars, at only 12 km; slightly less than that of the AI Mk. X (14 km) and much less than the AN/APS-21 (45 km). Although somewhat lacking in maximum range the RP-5 does have much better minimum range than the AN/APS-21 (300 m compared to 1,000 m). The azimuth scanning angles of the RP-5 are also somewhat lackluster at 60° to each side (again worse than the other two radars), however it has very good elevation scan angles of 40° (much better than the 16° found on the AN/APS-21).
The tracking component of the RP-5 is again somewhat lackluster compared to the AN/APG-26 (the only other tracking radar in the game). It does have slightly better minimum and maximum ranges than the AN/APG-26, but for these small bonuses you pay a hefty price in terms of scan angles. The azimuth and elevation can angles are both only ±7°, which is vastly inferior to the ±60° of the AN/APG-26.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Is both a target detection and tracking radar
- Search radar
- OK minimum range
- Decent azimuth scanning angles
- Very good elevation scanning angles
- Reasonably quick scanning time
- Tracking radar
- Good maximum range
- Good minimum range
Cons:
- Search radar
- Tracking radar
- Extremely bad tracking angles
History
The RP-5 "Izumrud" radar is an improved version of the RP-1 "Izumrud" radar fitted to the early production MiG-19s. It was one of the first radars to feature Track-While-Scan (TWS) capability (allowing a target to be tracked while the radar continued scanning the area); doing so by using two separate antennas.
Media
An excellent addition to the article would be a video guide, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.
See also
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- encyclopedia page on weapon;
- other literature.
