Raytheon, EL SEGUNDO: Raytheon Company delivered ahead of schedule to The Boeing Company the first next-generation active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the F-15C.
The delivery, in late June, closely followed a series of successful flight tests on a Raytheon test asset that began in May. Completion work on the antenna and final verification of the system in Raytheon's Radar System Integration Lab, prior to flight test, were achieved in a record seven weeks when six-to-12 months is usually the norm.
The APG-63(V)3 AESA radar exceeded all performance expectations in air-to-air modes during flight test. At least 10 more flights, intended to further demonstrate enhanced air-to-air capability, are expected to begin at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., this fall.
“The (V)3 AESA radar's ability to act as the core sensor backbone of the aircraft by providing accurate and timely information makes it a true force multiplier for the F-15,” said Erv Grau, vice president for air combat avionics at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. “Its ability to provide increased situational awareness across multiple assets will provide the Air Force and Air National Guard a low-cost, low-risk and proven capability to ensure homeland defense requirements are fully met.”
The (V)3 radar combines the revolutionary technology of the Navy's APG-79 AESA radar program, already in production, with improvements to the APG-63(V)2, currently operational with a squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.
With advanced radar technology that F-15 pilots can trust from take-off to landing on every mission, the APG-63(V)3 will enhance aircrew survivability and connectivity with other allied forces, according to Ramon Estrada, manager of F-15 AESA programs for Raytheon.
“The Navy is already experiencing the benefits of the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter)-generation technology through the APG-79 AESA radar on its F/A-18 Super Hornets,” Estrada said. “We are now looking forward to providing the Air National Guard with its next-generational capability through the APG-63(V)3. Raytheon's radar will provide powerful, adaptable technology, proven performance, and the tactical flexibility that F-15 pilots require and our nation's defense demands.”
Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) is the leading provider of sensor systems giving military forces the most accurate and timely information available for the network-centric battlefield. With 2005 revenues of $4.2 billion and 13,000 employees, SAS is headquartered in El Segundo, Calif. Additional facilities are in Goleta, Calif.; Forest, Miss.; Dallas, McKinney and Plano, Texas; and several international locations.
Raytheon Company, with 2005 sales of $21.9 billion, is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 80,000 people worldwide.
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