Northrop Grumman’s scalable agile beam radar completes design reviews

Demonstrating the maturity of its active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar technologies, Northrop Grumman Corp. has successfully concluded all engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) design reviews for the AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) in just 12 months.

Northrop Grumman’s AN/APG-83 SABR is a direct replacement for legacy F-16 radars and includes fifth-generation radar capabilities, the largest synthetic aperture radar map available for the F-16 and robust electronic protection.

SABR was competitively selected by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. and Taiwan Air Force F-16 upgrade programs. Northrop Grumman’s unique design allows for ease of retrofit, without aircraft structural modifications or changes to the existing power and cooling provisions in the F-16.

The software critical design review, the final review in the series, validated the radar’s common software block for the U.S. and Taiwanese Air Forces, as well as radar modes exclusive to Taiwan. The completion of this review marks the acceptance of the company’s software design in support of the Taiwanese Air Force F-16 AESA upgrade program.

Northrop Grumman has successfully completed all required system, hardware and software design reviews, which will enable a revolutionary air-to-air and air-to-ground radar capability that is directly transferable to the worldwide F-16 fleet.

“Northrop Grumman is on track to deliver the first EMD radar hardware and software by year’s end, which will be identical to the production radars,” said Jeff Leavitt, vice president of the combat avionics systems business unit at Northrop Grumman. “Achieving this milestone on cost, on time and at performance is indicative of the SABR AESA maturity. In addition, it is a reflection of the long-standing working relationship we have with Lockheed Martin and demonstrates our strong commitment to meet and exceed customer requirements.”

Other AESA fire control radars developed by the company are currently flying on the F-16 Block 60, F-22 and F-35 Lightning II aircraft.