A U.S. Armed Forces Network (AFN) broadcast out of the U.S. Naval station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, confirmed the deployment of the US radar at the airport on the island of Tobago, yesterday. “American military forces have installed an AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR system in Trinidad and Tobago. The surveillance system primarily functions as aerial surveillance, but officials say it can be used in US conflict with Venezuela,” said the AFN reporter, according to the T&T Guardian. She added, “Tobago is approximately 70 miles from Venezuela’s Paria peninsula. Manufacturer Northrop Grumman said the system is able to quote ‘detect, track and target the world’s most sophisticated airborne threats and highly contested environments,’ end quote. The system has a 360-degree maximum range of approximately 170 miles per air surveillance and tracking.”
“Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, said of the installation, quote ‘They will help us to improve our surveillance in the intelligence of the radar for the narco-traffickers in our water and outside our waters,’ end quote,” the broadcast concluded.
