Iran Damages U.S. Strategic AN/FPS-132 Radar in Qatar

An Iranian strike on Qatar damaged the U.S. AN/FPS-132 missile early-warning radar.

Analyst Sam Lair released satellite images from Planet Labs showing the aftermath of the damage.

Debris from the damaged radar panel fell onto the roof of the main building. The images also show traces of water runoff following firefighting efforts.

It is currently unknown how extensive the damage is. The other two panels may still remain operational, depending on whether the internal equipment sustained serious damage.

The strike on the AN/FPS-132 likely reduced missile defense capabilities in other parts of the Persian Gulf.

Shortly afterward, Qatar’s Ministry of Defense commented on the situation. The ministry confirmed that the AN/FPS-132 radar was indeed one of the targets of the Iranian strikes. However, the results of the attack and the station’s current condition have not been officially disclosed.

The AN/FPS-132 Upgraded Early Warning Radar is a fixed radar system designed to detect various types of aerial and ballistic targets. The data it provides is used by air defense and missile defense systems.

The radar consists of a structure with both above-ground and underground sections, with a total height of about 40 meters. A multi-faceted antenna assembly is mounted on the building’s roof. The station located in Qatar is equipped with three fixed active phased-array antennas, each covering a 120° sector in azimuth.

The station operates in the ultra-high-frequency band and uses an over-the-horizon radar principle. Each array contains more than 2,600 transmit-receive elements. The total power exceeds 2.5 MW. The detection range for large aerial targets reaches nearly 5,000 km.

The radar detects the launch of ballistic missiles and calculates their trajectory. Missile defense systems then use this data. The technical capabilities of the UEWR radar significantly exceed Qatar’s air defense needs. With a detection range of up to 5,000 km, the station can monitor not only Iran’s entire territory but also more distant regions.

In recent days, Iran has also threatened European countries with retaliatory strikes if they assist the U.S.–Israeli coalition in carrying out attacks.