F-14 on the History Channel's "Modern Marvels"

AESA?

Someone needs to write a FAQ for this group, if there isn't one
already...:-(

That's the bells&whistles version of the APG-79 radar, that does everything
from air-to-air to air-to-ground to jamming. Needs the ACS (advanced crew
stations) to be effective.
_____________
José Herculano

José Herculano wrote:

AESA?

Someone needs to write a FAQ for this group, if there isn't one
already...:-(


That's the bells&whistles version of the APG-79 radar, that does everything
from air-to-air to air-to-ground to jamming. Needs the ACS (advanced crew
stations) to be effective.
_____________
José Herculano




And more in general stands for Active Electronically Scanned Array,
which is the name for the type of antenna/emitter group. Instead of a
mechanically swivelling antenna (with complicated waveguides and a heavy
hydraulic system to move it around) this has a flat, fixed array
consisting of multiple emitter/receiver modules. The beam is controlled
electronically and at least in theory such a radar can use multiple
modes simultaneously. In the F/A-18F (with the ACS) this could mean that
for instance the pilot would have an air-to-air mode selected, while the
NFO in the back could be using a ground-mapping mode at the same time.
A small number of USAF F-15Cs (from the 3rd FW in Alaska if I'm not
mistaken) already fly with a radar with such an antenna: a modified
version of the regular APG-63(V)1 (unsurprisingly) called the APG-63(V)2 .
The first F/A-18F fitted with the APG-79 has already undertaken its
first flight.

Regards,
Ralph Savelsberg

In article , Ralph Savelsberg
wrote:

And more in general stands for Active Electronically Scanned Array,
which is the name for the type of antenna/emitter group. Instead of a
mechanically swivelling antenna (with complicated waveguides and a heavy
hydraulic system to move it around) this has a flat, fixed array

Instead it has a liquid cooling system. Still, a lot more reliable than
hydraulics. To keep this in the naval vein, it needs to be mentioned
that the APG-65 and APG-73 antennas use electric motors to drive
the antenna, not hydraulics. But of course, the response time of any
mechanical system is much slower than electronic steeting.


consisting of multiple emitter/receiver modules. The beam is controlled
electronically and at least in theory such a radar can use multiple
modes simultaneously. In the F/A-18F (with the ACS) this could mean that
for instance the pilot would have an air-to-air mode selected, while the
NFO in the back could be using a ground-mapping mode at the same time.
A small number of USAF F-15Cs (from the 3rd FW in Alaska if I'm not
mistaken) already fly with a radar with such an antenna: a modified
version of the regular APG-63(V)1 (unsurprisingly) called the APG-63(V)2 .

The APG-79 is a newer generation.
USAF is looking into a fleet-wide retrofit of F-15C's and E's with AESA
based on the extremely positive results of the (V)2. This would also be
newer generation.
APG-63(V)2 is the world's first production AESA radar.

The first F/A-18F fitted with the APG-79 has already undertaken its
first flight.

--
Harry Andreas
Engineering raconteur

On Wed, 05 Nov 2003 17:41:54 +0100, Ralph Savelsberg
wrote:

And more in general stands for Active Electronically Scanned Array,
which is the name for the type of antenna/emitter group. Instead of a
mechanically swivelling antenna (with complicated waveguides and a heavy
hydraulic system to move it around) this has a flat, fixed array
consisting of multiple emitter/receiver modules. The beam is controlled
electronically and at least in theory such a radar can use multiple
modes simultaneously. In the F/A-18F (with the ACS) this could mean that
for instance the pilot would have an air-to-air mode selected, while the
NFO in the back could be using a ground-mapping mode at the same time.

Regards,
Ralph Savelsberg


Ave Ralph

Is this the phased array radar?
And if not,wthat's the difference?

Greetz Mu

Mu wrote:

On Wed, 05 Nov 2003 17:41:54 +0100, Ralph Savelsberg
wrote:

And more in general stands for Active Electronically Scanned Array,
which is the name for the type of antenna/emitter group. Instead of a
mechanically swivelling antenna (with complicated waveguides and a heavy
hydraulic system to move it around) this has a flat, fixed array
consisting of multiple emitter/receiver modules. The beam is controlled
electronically and at least in theory such a radar can use multiple
modes simultaneously. In the F/A-18F (with the ACS) this could mean that
for instance the pilot would have an air-to-air mode selected, while the
NFO in the back could be using a ground-mapping mode at the same time.

Regards,
Ralph Savelsberg



Ave Ralph

Is this the phased array radar?
And if not,wthat's the difference?

Greetz Mu



Technically the AESA is an active phased array radar whilst older phased
array radars (like the `Flash Dance' in the MiG-31 or the APQ-164 fitted
to the B-1B) are so-called passive phased array radars.

The latter (passive) has a single transmitter/receiver and somehow
applies a phase shift to the signals sent to various parts of the
antenna, depending on the location on the antenna, whilst the former
actually uses a large number of transmitter/receiver units that each
operate at a different phase and possibly in a different mode.
In both cases the `beam' is sent in a certain direction through
adjusting the phase across the antenna, enabling a far higher scan rate,
but the actively scanned array can actually generate multiple beams as
well.

I don't know the intricacies. Harry Andreas will probably be able to
give a much more detailed answer than I can.

Regards,
Ralph Savelsberg

In article , "José Herculano"
wrote:

AESA?

Someone needs to write a FAQ for this group, if there isn't one
already...:-(

That's the bells&whistles version of the APG-79 radar, that does everything
from air-to-air to air-to-ground to jamming. Needs the ACS (advanced crew
stations) to be effective.

José,
the APG-79 radar IS the AESA radar. Same thing, not a version.

--
Harry Andreas
Engineering raconteur

On 11/5/03 10:18 AM, in article ,
"José Herculano" wrote:

AESA?

Someone needs to write a FAQ for this group, if there isn't one
already...:-(

That's the bells&whistles version of the APG-79 radar, that does everything
from air-to-air to air-to-ground to jamming. Needs the ACS (advanced crew
stations) to be effective.
_____________
José Herculano



José's right. Active Electronically Scanned Array. The jets off the line
right now (Lot 23, I think) already have ACS, they just haven't split the
cockpit functionality yet.

--Woody