AMBER-1800 is a mobile VHF-band air surveillance radar associated with the LiTak-Tak and Altimus-Tech industrial lineage. The two-vehicle system uses a deployable antenna and solid-state transmitter/receiver equipment to detect and track air targets, then distribute radar data to air-defense users. RUSI identifies Ukraine's related Burshtyn-1800 radar in service during the 2022 full-scale phase, while Lithuania committed funding for six AMBER-1800-family mobile air-surveillance radars for Ukraine under Germany's Immediate Action on Air Defence initiative in 2024.
RUSI identifies Burshtyn-1800 radars in Ukraine's radio-engineering forces at the start of the 2022 full-scale invasion, and official German and Lithuanian sources document Lithuania's 2024 commitment to fund mobile air-surveillance radars for Ukraine under the Immediate Action on Air Defence initiative.
Role detailsAltimus-Tech describes AMBER-1800 as a two-vehicle radar set built around a hardware cabin and a separate antenna-mast vehicle. The radar is meant to detect air targets automatically, form tracks, display plots and video, and distribute the air picture over data links. Targi Kielce's MSPO 2017 notice places the system in the LiTak-Tak and Altimus-Tech development lineage.
Carries the antenna mast assembly, deployment equipment, feeder system, leveling equipment, and two power plants. The antenna is described as a stacked dipole-slot array with linear horizontal polarization.
Contains the main electronic equipment, operator and remote workstations, processing, recording, diagnostics, and communications equipment.
The VHF-band sensor provides azimuth and range tracks for air-defense consumers rather than acting as a missile launcher or fire-control radar by itself.
Sources: Altimus-Tech AMBER-1800 Product Page; Targi Kielce AMBER-1800 at MSPO 2017.
The manufacturer's published table gives range figures against a 2.5 square meter radar-cross-section target with the antenna at 6 meters. Range rises with target altitude and transmitter pulse-power setting, reaching 300, 360, or 400 km at 10,000 meters for 8, 10, or 30 kW settings respectively.
At 100 meters target altitude, the published range band is 30 to 46 km depending on transmitter pulse power.
At 3,000 meters target altitude, the published range band is 110 to 170 km.
At 10,000 meters target altitude, the published range band is 300 to 400 km.
Source: Altimus-Tech AMBER-1800 Product Page.
Open sources link the AMBER-1800 family to Ukrainian localized naming, but public documentation is uneven. This record keeps Burshtyn-1800 as a related designation because conflict-use support names that Ukrainian radar while Lithuanian-transfer sources name AMBER-1800.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Burshtyn-1800 | Ukrainian localized designation reported in open sources | Ukrainian reporting describes Burshtyn-1800 as a localized AMBER-1800 concept, while RUSI identifies Burshtyn-1800 from NPP Aerotechnika-MLT among Ukrainian radio-engineering troop equipment at the start of the full-scale invasion. Sources: RBC-Ukraine AMBER-1800 Transfer, RUSI Ukraine Air-Defence Radars 2022 |
Altimus-Tech lists AMBER-1800 as one of the two-dimensional solid-state surveillance radars that can be combined with PRV-type height-finder equipment in its mobile 3D radar-complex concept.
| Compatible item | Item type | Compatibility evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Mobile height-finder radar | Altimus-Tech's 3D radar-complex page identifies AMBER-1800 and PRV-16ML as compatible surveillance-radar and height-finder elements in the same complex architecture. Sources: Altimus-Tech 3D Radar Complex |
Commons image metadata identifies AMBER-1800 radar photographs taken at the Partner 2015 military fair on June 26, 2015.
Sources: Wikimedia Commons AMBER-1800 Image, Wikimedia Commons AMBER 1800 Image
Targi Kielce described AMBER-1800 as a LiTak-Tak radar developed with Polish strategic partner Altimus-Tech for presentation at the 2017 MSPO defense exhibition.
Sources: Targi Kielce AMBER-1800 at MSPO 2017
RUSI's preliminary lessons report identified Burshtyn-1800 from NPP Aerotechnika-MLT among the radar systems fielded by Ukrainian radio-engineering forces at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Sources: RUSI Ukraine Air-Defence Radars 2022
Germany's defense ministry described Lithuania's contribution to the Immediate Action on Air Defence initiative as six AMBER 1800 radar systems, with Ukrainian and defense outlets reporting the same package.
Sources: German MoD Lithuania AMBER 1800 IAAD, Defense Express AMBER-1800 Ukraine Transfer
The Kyiv Independent reported that German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Lithuania would provide Ukraine with six AMBER-1800 radars, while arrival timing and the contribution amount were not specified.
Sources: Kyiv Independent AMBER-1800 Radars
Lithuania's Ministry of National Defence said its additional contribution for Ukraine would buy mobile air-surveillance radars under Germany's initiative, with the radars planned to be produced in stages and reach Ukraine in full over one year.
Sources: Lithuanian MoND Ukraine Radar Contribution
