Air Defense

36D6 / ST-68U surveillance radar

Also known as
  • 36D6
  • 36D6M
  • 36D6-M
  • 36D6M1-1
  • 35D6
  • 35D6M
  • ST-68U
  • ST-68UM
  • 19Zh6
  • 19Z6
  • 5N59
  • Tin Shield
  • Tin Shield B
  • СТ-68У
  • 19Ж6

The 36D6 / ST-68U Tin Shield family is a mobile Soviet-legacy three-coordinate surveillance radar used to detect and track low-, medium-, and high-altitude air targets for air-defense command posts, SAM units, and air-traffic-control tasks. Ukrainian sources identify Iskra as the enterprise behind ST-68U/19Zh6 development history and later 35D6/36D6M modernization, while open technical references describe the 36D6 as an S-band radar with 360-degree azimuth coverage, four beams, 350 kW peak transmitter power, and target-data output to automated air-defense users. In the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, visually documented loss lists and General Staff-derived reporting place 36D6/ST-68U radars on both sides of the air-defense fight.

36D6 / ST-68U surveillance radar, Mobile three-coordinate air-surveillance radar, Air Defense
Image source: Wikimedia Commons ST-68U radar image

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Soviet Union / Ukraine
Type
Mobile three-coordinate air-surveillance radar
Service note
1980s-present
Designer
Research and Production Complex Iskra
Designed
ST-68U adopted in 1980; 35D6 conceptual modernization reported in 1987
Produced
1980s-present modernization and support

Specifications

Radar band
S-band in Defense Express 36D6M material
Radar type
Mobile three-coordinate air-surveillance radar
Primary function
Detection, tracking, identification, and target-data output for air-defense users and air-traffic-control tasks
Azimuth coverage
360 degrees
Elevation coverage
0 to 30 degrees in Defense Express 36D6M data; -20 to 30 degrees in GlobalSecurity 36D6 data
Scan interval
5.1 seconds in Defense Express 36D6M data; 5 or 10 seconds in GlobalSecurity 36D6 data
Transmitter peak power
350 kW
Average transmitter power
3 kW in GlobalSecurity 36D6 data
Number of beams
4
Track throughput
More than 300 in Defense Express 36D6M data; at least 100 simultaneous targets in GlobalSecurity 36D6 data
Low-altitude detection example
About 42 km against a 1 m2 RCS target at 100 m altitude in Defense Express 36D6M data
Range with upgraded 36D6 package
Detection distances listed from 4 to 400 km, with 360 km for a 1 m2 RCS target at 15,000 m altitude in Defense Express upgrade data
Target localization accuracy
GlobalSecurity lists 250 m range, 20 minutes azimuth, and 400 m altitude accuracy for 36D6; Defense Express upgrade data lists 180 m range and 0.4 degree azimuth error
Clutter suppression
Greater than 48 dB in Defense Express 36D6M data
Active jamming suppression
20 dB in Defense Express 36D6M and upgrade data
Deployment/stow time
30 minutes for 36D6M in Defense Express data; 1-2 hours in GlobalSecurity 36D6 data depending on configuration
Transport elements
Two vehicles in Defense Express 36D6M data and GlobalSecurity's no-tower 36D6 description
Optional tower
40V6M1 tower raises antenna phase centers to 23 m in GlobalSecurity 36D6 description
Radar Role And Configuration

The 36D6 / ST-68U family is a sensor rather than an interceptor. Its value is in building an air picture, identifying friend-or-foe returns, and passing target data to air-defense users or air-traffic-control operators.

Radar class

Mobile three-coordinate air-surveillance and target-designation radar.

Air-defense role

Used independently, inside automated control systems, or with S-300-family SAM batteries according to open technical references.

Target set

Low-, medium-, and high-altitude air targets, including low-flying targets and cruise-missile-class threats in jamming and clutter conditions.

Mobility package

GlobalSecurity describes two KrAZ-type vehicles for a version without the 40V6M1 tower, while Defense Express lists two transport vehicles for the 36D6M upgrade.

Variants

Tin Shield designations overlap Soviet/Russian industrial, GRAU, export, and Ukrainian modernization names. Sources treat 5N59/ST-68, 19Zh6/ST-68U, and 35D6/36D6/ST-68UM as the same broad Tin Shield family, while 35D6M, 36D6M, and 36D6M1-1 are Ukrainian modernized forms of the 35D6/36D6 lineage.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
5N59 / ST-68Original Tin Shield family designation

Air Power Australia lists 5N59/ST-68 as the earlier designation in the Tin Shield sequence.

Sources: Air Power Australia Tin Shield

ST-68U / 19Zh6Baseline Soviet three-coordinate radar

GlobalSecurity's Iskra profile describes ST-68U / 19Zh6 as the three-coordinate station adopted in 1980, while Radartutorial identifies ST-68U as a former Warsaw Pact medium-range 3D air-defense radar.

Sources: GlobalSecurity Iskra profile, Radartutorial ST-68U Profile

35D6 / 36D6 / ST-68UMLater Tin Shield family designation

Air Power Australia groups 35D6/36D6/ST-68UM within the same Tin Shield designation chain, while GlobalSecurity's Iskra profile links the 1987 modernization of ST-68U / 19Zh6 to the 35D6 type.

Sources: Air Power Australia Tin Shield, GlobalSecurity Iskra profile

36D6MUkrainian modernized 3D surveillance radar

Defense Express describes 36D6M as an Iskra Ukrainian upgrade of Soviet-legacy 35D6 technology, used with automated air-defense systems, S-300 SAM batteries, and low-flying target search under jamming.

Sources: Defense Express Iskra radar demonstration, Defense Express Closing Air Coverage Gaps

35D6MModernized 19Zh6 radar

Ukrainian Military Pages reported that Iskra repaired and modernized a 19Zh6 radar that received the new 35D6M index after modernization.

Sources: Ukrainian Military Pages Iskra 19Zh6 modernization

36D6M1-1Ukrainian-made 3D mobile air-defense radar

CSIS Missile Threat reported that the U.S. Army Contracting Command received at least one Ukrainian-made 36D6M1-1 3D mobile air-defense radar system.

Sources: CSIS 36D6M1-1 Transfer

Supported Air-Defense Systems

Tin Shield radars served as acquisition and search radars for early S-300P-family batteries while also operating as general air-surveillance radars.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
S-300, Long-range surface-to-air missile system, Air DefenseS-300Long-range surface-to-air missile system

Sources identify the 36D6/ST-68U Tin Shield family as an acquisition, reconnaissance, or targeting radar associated with S-300P/PM/PMU/PMU1 and S-300PMU systems.

Sources: GlobalSecurity 36D6 Tin Shield profile, Air Power Australia Tin Shield, Defense Express Iskra radar demonstration

Media

36D6 / ST-68U surveillance radar Images

36D6 / ST-68U surveillance radar, Mobile three-coordinate air-surveillance radar, Air Defense - view 1
Source: Wikimedia Commons ST-68U 01 image
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Sources

GlobalSecurity Iskra profilePublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports Iskra manufacturer background, ST-68U / 19Zh6 development history, 1980 adoption, 1987 35D6 modernization lineage, and Iskra radar-production context. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Radartutorial ST-68U ProfilePublisher: Radartutorial | Note: Supports ST-68U / Tin Shield identity as a medium-range 3D air-defense radar used for detecting and tracking low-altitude targets. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Radartutorial 36D6 ProfilePublisher: Radartutorial | Note: Supports 36D6 identity and technical context including 350 kW peak power, 3 kW average power, 200 km instrumented range, and 250 m range resolution. | Accessed: 2026-07-02GlobalSecurity 36D6 Tin Shield profilePublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports 36D6 role, S-300PMU reconnaissance and targeting context, mobility, optional 40V6M1 tower, target-processing capacity, and technical specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Air Power Australia Tin ShieldPublisher: Air Power Australia | Note: Supports Tin Shield designation structure, ST-68U/19Zh6 and 35D6/36D6/ST-68UM family context, semimobile configuration, 40V6M/40V6MD mast option, S-300P/PM/PMU/PMU1 acquisition-radar relationship, and selected technical figures. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Defense Express Closing Air Coverage GapsPublisher: Defense Express | Note: Supports Ukrainian 36D6M and 36D6 upgrade context, Iskra manufacturer background, air-defense and S-300 role, Ukrainian Air Force adoption language, and technical data for the 36D6/36D6M modernization package. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Defense Express Iskra radar demonstrationPublisher: Defense Express | Note: Supports 36D6M as a Ukrainian Iskra upgrade of Soviet-legacy 35D6 technology, its use with automated air-defense systems and S-300 SAM batteries, and fielding to Ukrainian military units. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Ukrainian Military Pages Iskra 19Zh6 modernizationPublisher: Ukrainian Military Pages | Note: Supports Iskra capital repair and modernization of a 19Zh6 radar into the 35D6M index, Ukrainian Armed Forces service context, and optional remote-workplace and SAM-interaction equipment. | Accessed: 2026-07-02CSIS 36D6M1-1 TransferPublisher: CSIS Missile Threat | Note: Supports 36D6M1-1 as a Ukrainian-made 3D mobile air-defense radar, its low-altitude target and jamming-context role, air-traffic-control function, and reported U.S. Army Contracting Command receipt. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Wikimedia Commons ST-68U radar imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports primary image provenance and licensing for a CC BY 3.0 photograph of an ST-68U / 36D6 / Tin Shield radar of the Hungarian Air Force. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Wikimedia Commons ST-68U 01 imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports additional gallery image provenance and licensing for a CC BY-SA 4.0/GFDL photograph of an ST-68U / 19Zh6 / Tin Shield radar at Kecel. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Oryx Russian Equipment LossesPublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use/loss context by listing visually documented Russian 36D6 ST-68U surveillance radars damaged during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Oryx Ukrainian Equipment LossesPublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use/loss context by listing visually documented Ukrainian 36D6 ST-68U surveillance radars destroyed or damaged during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-07-02NV Russian Radar Strike ReportPublisher: The New Voice of Ukraine | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use by reporting General Staff statements that Ukrainian forces struck a Russian ST-68 radar station in occupied Feodosia used in Russia's air-defense network. | Accessed: 2026-07-02UNN General Staff ST-68 Strike ReportPublisher: Ukrainian National News | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use by reporting General Staff statements that Ukrainian forces struck an ST-68 air-target detection radar in Feodosia used by Russian forces to detect, track, and transmit air-target coordinates. | Accessed: 2026-07-02