We present a compact, multi-channel, wideband VHF radar system for fine-resolution measurements of the base and interior of large ice sheets. Data from this radar will be used in the identification of potential drill locations to retrieve ice core samples more than 1 million years old in East Antarctica. The radar is a lightweight instrument equipped with four >1-kW peak power transmit channels, eight independent digital receivers, and an array of high-gain antennas. We developed the system as part of a collaborative effort between the United States of America, Japan and Norway. The instrument was used for surface-based surveys near Dome-Fuji onboard a tracked vehicle during the 2018/2019 Austral Summer, covering 2,000 line-km. This paper presents an overview of the radar system, accompanied by laboratory and field test results that demonstrate the system's ability to map the internal ice sheet structure and basal conditions with outstanding detail.