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

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