AN/APG-80

The AN/APG-80 is an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) system designed and manufactured by Northrop Grumman for use on the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft.[1] It was originally designed to be included on the F-16C/D Block 60 Desert Falcon aircraft ordered by the United Arab Emirates, subsequently reclassified as the F-16E/F Block 60 Desert Falcons; first deliveries were made in 2003.[2][3]

Features

The AN/APG-80 system is described as "agile beam", and can perform air-to-air, search-and-track, air-to-ground targeting and aircraft terrain-following functions simultaneously and for multiple targets. As an AESA system utilizing NG's fourth-generation transmitter/receiver technologies, it has a higher reliability and twice the range of older, mechanically-scanned AN/APG-68 radar systems.[2][3]

It consists of about 1000 TRMs. The APG-80 is designed to search continuously for and track multiple targets within the forward hemisphere of the aircraft. As a result of increased operational flexibility, pilots will be able to simultaneously perform air-to-air search-and-track, air-to-ground targeting and aircraft terrain-following. Energetic ranges of target detection against it RCS is tabulated be low;[4]

Example Radar Cross-Section Range
AA-missile 0.0001 m² > 11 km
stealth fighter 0.001 m² > 20 km
cruise missile 0.1 m² > 62 km
classic fighter 1.0 m² > 110 km
bomber 5.0 m² > 165 km
passenger aircraft 10.0 m² > 195 km

Table 1: Energetic ranges of target detection


Development

The United Arab Emirates funded the entire $3 billion Block 60 development costs, including the AN/APG-80, which is the operational core of the aircraft. According to press reports quoted by Flight International, this is "the first time the US has sold a better aircraft overseas than its own forces fly".[3] Developmental flight tests were performed on Northrop Grumman's highly modified BAC 1-11 test bed aircraft, based at Baltimore.[2]

See also

References
  1. "AN/APG-80 description page" Archived January 19, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Northrop Grumman
  2. Vanhastel, Stefaan (August 27, 2003)"Northrop Grumman delivers first AN/APG-80 radar for F-16 Block 60" f-16.net
  3. "Dubai 2007: UAE shows off its most advanced Falcons " Flightglobal.com, November 11, 2007
  4. "AN/APG-80 - Radartutorial". www.radartutorial.eu. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.