Raytheon AESA Radar Navigates Smoothly Through Flight Tests

A revolutionary Raytheon radar that scans the skies at nearly the speed of light is navigating through flight tests aboard the US Navy F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet in anticipation of operational readiness by September 2006.

In its first year of developmental flight testing, the APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system has successfully completed more than 80 flights aboard three Super Hornet aircraft from test squadron VX-31 "Dust Devils" at the Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake. The first seven of the radar's many operating modes were successfully demonstrated on the first attempt in flight: real-beam map; synthetic aperture radar (SAR); air-to-air search; air-to-air track; passive; sea-surface search; and ground-moving target.

"The Navy is extremely pleased to see the APG-79 radar in action," said US Navy F/A-18 Program Manager Capt. Donald "BD" Gaddis. "After its first year in flight test, we're just beginning to see the system's true potential. So far, the radar is demonstrating amazing situational awareness for Super Hornet aircrew," he said.

When the APG-79 enters service in 2006, Super Hornet aviators for the first time will be able to conduct air-to-air and air-to-ground operations simultaneously. The agile AESA beam, traveling at almost the speed of light, can be redirected instantaneously from one target to another for maximum mission flexibility on cruise. The system also allows the aircraft to detect and track multiple targets at much greater distance. This advantage permits the crew to persistently observe targets and launch weapons from their maximum range, both significant protective measures. The APG-79 AESA system represents a giant leap forward in technology that significantly improves warfighter capabilities compared to the current Super Hornet radar, according to Wes Motooka, vice president for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, whose organization produces the system. "Because our AESA radar uses solid-state technology with no moving parts, its performance and reliability far exceeds systems that scan mechanically," Motooka said. "And its ability to connect with on-board and off-board sensors using MIDS and Link 16 will assure the Super Hornet's role in network-centric operations," he said.

The radar was developed in record time by a team at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) that worked with the Navy and prime contractor Boeing, which builds the aircraft. The program has met every major acquisition milestone to date.

"The APG-79 AESA system represents some of the finest hours in Raytheon's 80-plus-year history," SAS President Jack R. Kelble said. "Everything in this system, from the array in the front, through the software that operates the radar, to the processor in the back, is new. We're extremely pleased with the radar's performance so far."

The APG-79 is the first entirely new airborne radar built by Raytheon in three decades. The new system will equip the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the E/A-18G, an electronic attack variant. The radar also meets requirements in all facets of the Navy's transformation initiative, SeaPower 21.

FMI: www.raytheon.com