In partnership with EW Analytics LLC, we share details of the new Belarussian Vostok-3D ground-based air surveillance radar.
Built in Belarus, the KB Group Design Bureau’s Vostok-3D S-band (3.1 gigahertz/GHz to 3.3GHz) and Very High Frequency (VHF: 170MHz to 220MHz) ground-based air surveillance radar is a new system. The company’s literature says the radar has an instrumented range of 194 nautical miles/nm (360 kilometres/km). The Vostok-3D detects and tracks targets across 360 degrees’ azimuth, and between -3 degrees’ to 45 degrees’ elevation. Marketing video reveals that at least one Vostok-3D radar has already been occasionally active near Minsk.
Target range, azimuth and velocity are measured by the radar’s VHF transmissions. Azimuth is also measured by the radar’s S-band signals which, in addition, measure range and elevation. The radar determines range to within 200 metres (656 feet), azimuth to within 5.5 degrees, elevation to within 1.2 degrees and velocity to within 19 knots (35 kilometres-per-hour). The radar rejects jamming signals equal to, or greater than, 30 decibels/dB and rejects clutter equal to, or greater than, 50dB.
The radar tracks up to 250 targets simultaneously and can detect and measure bearings of up to ten jamming signals. When transmitting in VHF and S-band, pulse-to-pulse and train-to-train frequency turning is possible in automatic and semi-automatic modes. S-band signals use chirp modulation with the VHF signals using chirp and quadrature phase shift keying modulation.
Operating modes
EW Analytics LLC’s analysis notes that four signal modes are available when the radar is performing VHF transmissions with the same number of signal modes available when the radar is transmitting in S-band. The key difference between these modes are their pulse power, duration and repetition intervals. EW Analytics LLC’s study adds that it is unclear how these modes are used: Can different modes be used on different frequencies simultaneously? Are the radar modes automatically determined, set by the operator, or both?
The analysis has determined that the operator can set radar rotation speeds to either three- or six rotations-per-minute. It is noteworthy that the Vostok-3D’s VHF and S-band antennas are mounted back-to-back. EW Analytics LLC assesses that radar echoes from the VHF and S-band signals are probably merged into single tracks. Merging tracks in this way will help to provide a richer radar picture.
Targets are automatically classified as fixed- or rotary-wing aircraft, ballistic missiles, balloons or are left unidentified. Photographs of the Vostok-3D reveal that an Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator can be integrated below the S-band antenna. It is not thought that the interrogator is supplied as standard and may need to be added by the customer. Additional investigation by EW Analytics LLC has determined that target identity can be ascertained from an Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) system feed. ADS-B information is available to be displayed on the operator’s screen.
Into service
EW Analytics expects the Vostok-3D to enter service with the Belarussian military by the end of this year. As of 2022, KB Group was under United States government sanctions. These sanctions were imposed in retaliation for Belarussian support for the invasion of Ukraine and assistance given to Russia therein.
A VHF transmission that displays some Vostok-3D signal attributes and that possibly originates from Belarus can currently be found in an amateur radio channel that is publicly accessible on the Internet. Assuming the Vostok-3D’s service entry occurs as planned by the end of 2024, it is possible that signals from these radars maybe detected with increasing regularity in the coming years; especially if the Vostok-3D radar is not as “stealthy” as advertised. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation airborne signals intelligence collection assets appear to take a close interest in Belarus. Therefore, these assets may have the opportunity to collect potentially lucrative intelligence on this radar.
More details regarding EW Analytics LLC can be found on the company’s website.
by Dr. Thomas Withington
