The US Air Force (USAF) has met Full Operational Capability (FOC) readiness for Northrop Grumman Corporation’s AN/APG-83 SABR active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar on Air National Guard F-16s to meet a US Northern Command Joint Emergent Operational Need (JEON) for homeland defense.
On Sep. 7, 2020 the USAF began installation of APG-83 radars on Air National Guard F-16s at Joe Foss Field, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the fourth US Air Force base to receive AN/APG-83 SABR AESA radar upgrades.
The radar upgrade of Air National Guard F-16s extends the operational viability and reliability of the fleet while providing pilots with 5th-generation fighter radar capabilities to defend our nation’s airspace.
“SABR enables F-16 pilots to detect, track, identify and target a greater number of threats faster and at longer ranges from outside the threat envelope,” said Mark Rossi, director, SABR programs, Northrop Grumman, in the company news release. “This upgrade will keep the multirole F-16 fighter relevant and capable for decades to come.”
The AN/APG-83 features all-weather, high-resolution synthetic aperture radar mapping to present the pilot with a large surface image for more precise target identification and strike compared to legacy systems. Its design incorporates proven hardware and advanced operating modes from Northrop Grumman’s fifth-generation F-35 and F-22 AESA radars. The high degree of commonality and shared manufacturing processes and infrastructure drives efficiencies and affordability improvements across all of Northrop Grumman’s AESA radar programs.
The AN/APG-83 AESA is now an official program of record for both the active and reserve US Air Force as well as the Guard after the service procured units in February for Air Combat Command and Air Force Reserve F-16 aircraft.
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force
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