Raytheon has delivered the inaugural active electronically scanned array radar (AESA) to Boeing, under the B-52 Radar Modernisation Programme.
This radar is earmarked for system integration, verification, and testing.
Michelle Styczynski, Vice President of Agile Radar Solutions at Raytheon, remarked, “Outfitting the B-52 with an AESA radar transitions it from its 1960s radar technology.” She underscored that with this upgrade, the B-52 will be equipped with improved navigation and targeting capabilities, especially in high-threat zones.
The radar is designed to enhance the B-52’s mapping and detection range, whilst increasing the number of targets it can concurrently engage.
Jennifer Wong, Senior Director at Boeing Bomber Programmes, celebrated the collaborative effort, stating, “This new AESA radar elevates the B-52’s current capabilities and provides potential avenues for enhancing capabilities in the future.”
In line with the contract, Raytheon bears the responsibility of designing, developing, and producing the radar systems for the entirety of the U.S. Air Force B-52 fleet, ensuring the aircraft remains pertinent and mission-ready for its duration.
The radars are being manufactured across two sites: Forest, Mississippi and El Segundo, California. Deliveries for the remaining radars in the test phase are anticipated by the summer of 2024.
This is good news when bombers are going to have to bomb the relatively small nuclear missile launchers all over Russia.
You wonder what an upgraded Vulcan could have been like with AESA radar and 20 stomshadows.
Vulcan was great, but nowhere near as capable as the Buff.
The B52 is rapidly becoming the fictional B52 “Old Dog from the Dale Brown novels.
AN/APG-79 (from F-18E) variant.
But with a bogger antenna array.
Indeed. Hence the “variant”.
Ha, bogger!