The Florida Air National Guard yesterday rolled out the first operational ANG F-15C equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar.
Boeing [BA] is under contract to upgrade 14 ANG and 10 Air Force F-15C/D aircraft with AESA.
The Raytheon [RTN] APG-63(V)3 AESA radar being installed on the F-15s combines the APG-63(V)2 software with the advanced APG-79 Transmit/Receive hardware found on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The AESA radar antenna is 50 times more reliable than the mechanically scanned antenna it replaces, according to Boeing.
“The new radar also enhances the capability to find and track small targets at low altitude–a capability the ANG will employ in its Homeland Defense Air Sovereignty role,” said Jim Means, director of Proprietary Programs for Boeing Global Strike Systems. “The addition of a built-in test function on the AESA antenna makes the (V)3 easier to maintain.”
The APG-63(V)3 radar is the latest in a series of planned upgrades that is expected ensure the F-15C’s viability well into the 21st century. These include a fighter-to-fighter data link, GPS navigation and the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System, enabling the fighter to conduct network centric operations while employing the latest air-to-air weapons.
Boeing Global Services & Support provides sustainment services for the Air Force F-15 fleet, including spares and retrofit programs, field service teams and a full range of training systems and services.