AN/APG-81
| Country of origin | United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Solid-state active electronically scanned array (AESA) |
The AN/APG-81 is an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 Lightning II.
The Joint Strike Fighter AN/APG-81 AESA radar is a result of the US government's competition for the world's largest AESA acquisition contract. Westinghouse Electronic Systems (acquired by Northrop Grumman in 1996) and Hughes Aircraft (acquired by Raytheon in 1997) received contracts for the development of the Multifunction Integrated RF System/Multifunction Array (MIRFS/MFA) in February 1996.[1] Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman were selected as the winners of the Joint Strike Fighter competition; The System Development and Demonstration (SDD) contract was announced on 26 October 2001.
The AN/APG-81 is a successor radar to the F-22's AN/APG-77. Over 3,000 AN/APG-81 AESA radars are expected to be ordered for the F-35, with production to run beyond 2035, and including large quantities of international orders. As of August 2007, 8 APG-81s have already been produced and delivered. The first three blocks of radar software have been developed, flight tested, and delivered ahead of schedule by the Northrop Grumman Corporation. Capabilities of the AN/APG-81 include the AN/APG-77's air-to-air modes plus advanced air-to-ground modes including high resolution mapping, multiple ground moving target detection and track, combat identification, electronic warfare, and ultra high bandwidth communications. The current F-22 production radar is the APG-77v1, which draws heavily on APG-81 hardware and software for its advanced air-to-ground capabilities.[2]
In August 2005, the APG-81 radar was flown for the first time aboard Northrop Grumman's BAC 1–11 airborne laboratory. Since then, the radar system has accumulated over 300 flight hours, maturing all five blocks of software. The first radar flight on Lockheed Martin's CATBird avionics test bed aircraft took place in November 2008. Announced on 22 June 2010: The radar met and exceeded its performance objectives successfully tracking long-range targets as part of the first mission systems test flights of the F-35 Lightning II BF-4 aircraft.[3]
The AN/APG-81 team won the 2010 David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award for performance against jammers.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ "Hughes, Westinghouse picked for JAST multi-function array work". Aerospace Daily (McGraw-Hill). 15 February 1996.
- ^ "Northrop Grumman Successfully Completes F-22 Radar Flight-Test Certification". Irconnect.com. http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=116105. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
- ^ "Northrop Grumman's APG-81 Radar Sensor Performs Flawlessly On First Mission Systems Flight of Lockheed Martin F-35 Aircraft". Irconnect.com. 22 June 2010. http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=194881. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
- ^ "Northrop Grumman Awarded DOD Honor for Electronic Protection Achievements." Quality Magazine, 17 November 2010
