Ukraine Hits Russian P-18 Terek Early-Warning Radar Watching Skies for 250 Km

Ukrainian forces struck a Russian P-18 Terek early-warning radar in the temporarily occupied Donetsk region and an ammunition depot in the temporarily occupied Luhansk region during a series of attacks on Russian military targets.

According to Ukraine’s General Staff on September 26, the strikes were carried out throughout September 25 and overnight into September 26. The P-18 radar was hit near Semenivske in the Donetsk region, while a separate strike targeted an ammunition depot in Sievierodonetsk.

The military did not specify which weapons were used in the attacks or provide an assessment of the damage to either target.

The P-18, also designated 1RL131 Terek and known by the NATO reporting name Spoon Rest D, is a Soviet-designed mobile two-dimensional early-warning radar operating in the VHF band. The system entered service in 1970 and remains in operation, with several modernization packages developed over the decades.

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According to the General Staff, the radar can detect airborne targets at ranges of around 250 kilometers and at altitudes of up to 35 kilometers. It is used to detect and determine the coordinates of aircraft and other aerial targets before passing radar information to other elements of an air-defense network.

Unlike fire-control radars that directly guide surface-to-air missiles, the P-18 primarily serves as an early-warning and surveillance sensor. Its VHF operating band and long detection range allow it to contribute to the broader air picture available to air-defense units.

Czech defense electronics company RETIA, which offers modernization packages for the P-18, also identifies its long range and ability to detect low-observable targets as key characteristics of the system.

On September 21, Ukrainian forces also struck a Russian Kasta-2E2 radar in the temporarily occupied Donetsk region. The mobile system, valued at an estimated $60 million, can detect low-flying aircraft, missiles, and drones at ranges of up to 150 kilometers.

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