- APG-79
The AN/APG-79
Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar is a new development for theUnited States Navy 'sF/A-18E/F Super Hornet andEA-18G Growler aircraft, providing enhanced reliability and a high level of aircrewsituational awareness . The AESA radar has an exceptionally agile beam, providing nearly instantaneous track updates and enhanced multi-target tracking capability. The APG-79 AESA uses transmit/receive (TR) modules populated with GaAs MMICs. [ [http://compoundsemiconductor.net/cws/article/news/30660 "GaAs radar adds grunt to Growler," compoundsemiconductor.net, July 2007] ] In the F/A-18E/F, the radar is installed in a slide-out nose rack to facilitate maintenance.Benefiting from the entirely solid-state antenna construction, the APG-79 features dramatically improved reliability and lower cost - indeed, such is the confidence that the antenna will need no attention other than for battle damage, a modified radome, which slides forward instead of hinging to the right, has been introduced for the F/A-18E/F, saving valuable space in aircraft carrier hangars, where the radome is often damaged during routine maintenance.
The APG-79 is compatible with current F/A-18 weapon loads and enables aircrew to take full advantage of
AIM-120 AMRAAM capabilities, simultaneously guiding multiple missiles to several targets widely spaced in azimuth, elevation or range.The APG-79 radar completed formal operational evaluation (OPEVAL) testing in December 2006. As of January 2007 the radar was installed in 28 aircraft; some were experiencing software problems but that issue was expected to be resolved by the end of fiscal year 2007. [ [http://www.janes.com/defence/news/jdw/jdw070110_1_n.shtml "Nagging software problem plagues Super Hornet radar," Jane's Defence Weekly, January 2007] ] As of
July 2008 ,Raytheon had delivered 100 APG-79 sets to the Navy; on June 3, 2008, the Navy received the first APG-79-equippedEA-18G Growler . The Navy expects to order approximately 400 production radars. [ [http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/micro_stories.pl?ACCT=149999&TICK=RTN&STORY=/www/story/07-01-2008/0004842182&EDATE=Jul+1,+2008 Raytheon Press Release July 1, 2008] ]ee also
*
Joint Electronics Type Designation System References
External links
* [http://www.raytheon.com/products/ Raytheon products website]
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