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Summary: Military information film describes new radar syatem installed at Orford Ness, Suffolk to detect enemy (Soviet) aircraft and missiles over the horizon (OTH).
Description:
Access Conditions:IWM
Featured Period:1946-1975
Production Date:1972
Production Country: United States of America
Production Details: United States Air Force Electronics Systems Division (Production sponsor)
Technical Details: Format: 16mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 700ft ca; Running time: 19 mins ca
HD Media:Yes
Notes: System 441a, known as COBRA MIST, was initiated to aquire, install, and test the AN/FPS-95 OTH radar set in an operational overseas environment at Orford Ness, England.....System turnover was scheduled for 1 July 1972. However, due to several test delays the turnover was scheduled for 1 January 1973. In the interim it was decided to combine the Design Verification System Test (DSVT) and Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOTandE) in order to expedite the test program. In the combined DVST and IOTand E during the summer and fall of 1972, a severe noise problem was encountered which resulted in a reduction in detection capability.
System 441a, known as COBRA MIST, was initiated to aquire, install, and test the AN/FPS-95 OTH radar set in an operational overseas environment at Orford Ness, England. The 441A contractor was RCA. The missions of the 441A AN/FPS-95 over-the-horizon (OTH) backscatter radar were to detect and track aircraft; detect missile and earth satellite vehicle launchings; fulfill current and critical intelligence requirements; and to provide a research and development (R&D) testbed for determining optimum backscatter techniques for other operational missions.
COBRA MIST was built on the English North Sea Coast in the late 1960's to overlook air and missile activity in Eastern Europe and the western areas of the USSR. The AN/FPS-95 was expected to detect and track (a) aircraft in flight over the westerly part of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact countries and (b) missile launches from the Northern Fleet Missile Test Center at Plesetsk