ST. LOUIS: Boeing received the first APG-82(V)1 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar test set for the U.S. Air Force F-15E Radar Modernization Program (RMP) from Raytheon in St. Louis on June 10. The radar test set, which has successfully completed Acceptance Test Procedures, will undergo further tests at Boeing’s Electronic Systems Integration Lab in St. Louis before being integrated into an F-15E.
The APG-82(V)1 RMP replaces the APG-70 radar with an AESA, resulting in improved radar reliability, maintainability and performance, as well as reduced support costs. When integrated into the F-15E weapons system, the AESA radar will improve detection and tracking of enemy targets.
“One AESA-equipped F-15E can detect and track multiple targets simultaneously and gain the same battle picture and prosecute the same number of attacks that currently require several mechanically scanned radar assets,” said Brad Jones, Boeing director for U.S. Air Force Development Programs. “Adding AESA multiplies the effectiveness of the F-15E.”
Raytheon is producing five AESA radar test units as part of the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase of the program and will support Boeing’s integration of AESA into the F-15E. Integration will take place at Boeing facilities in St. Louis, followed by developmental and initial operational test and evaluation flight programs.
Other RMP elements include a wideband radome, modified Environment Control System, and modified Radio Frequency Tunable Filters, which allow the radar and Electronic Warfare System to operate simultaneously.
Boeing and Raytheon share more than 35 years of success on numerous generations of F-15 radar, beginning with the delivery of the first APG-63 radar in 1972 and the incorporation of the world’s first operational fighter AESA radar with the APG-63(v)2 on the F-15C in 2000. This legacy, along with shared experiences on the F/A-18E/F APG-79, ensures that the AESA-equipped F-15E will remain a force multiplier for decades to come.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.
