Tailoring OTHR Deployment in Order to Meet Conditions in Remote Equatorial Areas

Abstract

In this paper a deployment process for Over – the – Horizon Radar (OTHR) system in remote equatorial areas is presented. The OTHR is based on High Frequency Surface Waves (HFSW) and requires installation on the coastline. The paper starts with elaboration of requirements OTHR has, such as land area needed for deployment, power supply and connectivity with command and control centers (C2) for both, data delivery and remote control. Continues with explanation of environmental factors present in Equatorial regions which influence radar deployment and its operation. Those factors are high rainfall, frequent thunderstorms and low coastline susceptible to wave erosion. At the end of the paper methods how to counter those factors, based on experience gain through radar sites deployed in the Gulf of Guinea, are presented.