Which statement about AN/TPQ-53 coverage is true?

Which statement about AN/TPQ-53 coverage is true?

• A. The system provides 360-degree coverage at all ranges.
• B. The system provides 360-degree azimuth coverage only in degraded ranges.
• C. The system is designed for 90-degree coverage against all indirect fire threats and 360-degree azimuth coverage at degraded ranges.
• D. The system has no azimuth coverage.

Answer: (C)

Coverage in this context means how the AN/TPQ-53 scans the horizontal plane to detect indirect-fire threats (artillery, rockets, mortars). The system isn’t limited to 360-degree azimuth at all times. In normal operation it uses a 90-degree sector to focus processing and tracking on threats within that sector, which helps with faster update rates and accuracy. When operating in degraded-range conditions, the radar can expand its azimuth coverage to 360 degrees so threats from any direction within the shorter range can still be detected and tracked. This flexibility is why the statement that the system provides 90-degree coverage for all indirect-fire threats and 360-degree azimuth coverage at degraded ranges is considered true. The other options misstate the normal operating coverage or deny azimuth coverage entirely.

Coverage in this context means how the AN/TPQ-53 scans the horizontal plane to detect indirect-fire threats (artillery, rockets, mortars). The system isn’t limited to 360-degree azimuth at all times. In normal operation it uses a 90-degree sector to focus processing and tracking on threats within that sector, which helps with faster update rates and accuracy. When operating in degraded-range conditions, the radar can expand its azimuth coverage to 360 degrees so threats from any direction within the shorter range can still be detected and tracked. This flexibility is why the statement that the system provides 90-degree coverage for all indirect-fire threats and 360-degree azimuth coverage at degraded ranges is considered true. The other options misstate the normal operating coverage or deny azimuth coverage entirely.