Posted on 12/18/2022 11:57:29 AM PST by House Atreides
The Russian Sestroretsk arms factory claims that it has developed a Starlink terminal detection radar called Borshchevik which "is designed to detect and determine the location of Starlink terminals in a 180-degree sector at a distance of up to 10 km." Not only that, but a Russian military blogger boasted on the popular Reverse Side of the Medal Telegram channel that they will soon start testing the Borshchevik Starlink detection system on the field in Ukraine.
…SpaceX has been providing satellite Internet and terminals in Ukraine ever since, to the tune of US$100 million that Elon Musk claims will be spent just this year for the service. Recently, SpaceX asked the Pentagon to pick the tab for 2023, or else SpaceX will be on the hook for another US$380 million in Ukraine expenses next year.
… The Borshchevik Starlink terminal detection radar… may allow the army …per its manufacturer:
Direction finding and calculation by algorithms of biangulation of the location of Starlink subscriber equipment with an accuracy of 60m does not exceed 15 minutes per direction finding point. The complex has the ability to be installed on a vehicle chassis, which ensures tactical use on the contact lines. The autonomy of the complex is provided by a compact power source or the power system of the vehicle. The elements of the complex can be painted with various types of camouflage, including the use of coatings with IR remission. The processing of the received data on the location of Starlink terminals is carried out in a modern graphical interface created according to the UI / UX methodology, with the ability to connect topographic maps of the area for intuitive orientation.
(Excerpt) Read more at notebookcheck.net ...
I’m a retired EE and seems to me a simple defeat of this system- at least on flat terrain - would be a simple 12” to 24” high grounded metal drum about 12” larger in diameter than the Starlink dish that is perhaps 12” higher off the ground than the top of the Starlink dish.
No line-of-sight radio waves would be transmitted through/past the protective dish, and only vertically to the Starlink satellites above.
Would not work where Ruskies have height/altitude advantage above Ukrainians, but would work in flat terrain as the Starlink ground transmitters are very low-powered.
Just a theory - I worked more in power than radio-wave, so this would need to be tested and perfected.
Someone please pass on to Ukrainians......
Home-ing device I would presume !!
Why would a starlink terminal transmit any signal at all? Isn’t it a receiver?
I’m sure they thought the Russkies were too stoopid.
A HARM missile works because the beam it intercepts is extremely strong. The difference between radar energy and whatever bleeds out of a starlink terminal would have to be significantly different. If the Russians were actually capable of using it to guide a weapon to impact, I’d be shocked. My guess is they are using deception to try to convince starlink operators they are at risk.
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