AN/AAQ-37

AN/AAQ-37
Name	AN/AAQ-37
Caption	Electro-optical distributed aperture system
Origin	United States
Manufacturer	Northrop Grumman
Type	Infrared search and track, missile warning
Service	2006–present

AN/AAQ-37 is an infrared search and track and missile warning suite fielded on fifth-generation aircraft. Developed by Northrop Grumman, it provides situational awareness, threat warning, and passive targeting for platforms operating in contested environments. The system integrates electro-optical sensors, processing units, and data links to support air-to-air, air-to-ground, and self-defense missions.

Design and Development

The program began with requirements from the United States Department of Defense, influenced by concepts from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and milestones coordinated with Lockheed Martin for the F-35 Lightning II program. Initial design work involved teams at Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems and collaborations with contractors such as Raytheon Technologies and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. Early demonstrations referenced technologies proven in programs like Sensor Fuzed Weapon development and heritage from Infrared Search and Track research conducted by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories. Milestones were tracked against schedules set by the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office and testing included sorties at Edwards Air Force Base and integrations at Naval Air Systems Command facilities.

Design choices drew on lessons from systems such as AN/AAR-47, AN/ALQ-99, and the distributed sensing concepts explored in Distributed Aperture System research. Programmatic decisions were reviewed by agencies including the Defense Contract Management Agency and procurement overseen by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. International interest from partners in the F-35 Programme influenced export controls governed by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and coordination with allied procurement offices in United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, Italian Air Force, and Royal Australian Air Force.

Technical Characteristics

The suite employs multiple infrared sensors arrayed for full spherical coverage, leveraging focal plane arrays developed in coordination with laboratories such as Naval Research Laboratory and industrial partners like Teledyne FLIR. Processing employs high-speed architectures akin to those in Field-programmable gate array implementations used by General Dynamics and algorithms informed by research from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University. The system provides missile plume detection, tracking, and cueing for integrated weapons, interoperating with datalinks compatible with standards promulgated by North Atlantic Treaty Organization interoperability groups and conforming to protocols used by Link 16 and mission systems developed by Sikorsky.

Thermal imaging and infrared sensitivity were benchmarked against sensors used on platforms developed by Dassault Aviation and Saab AB, while survivability considerations referenced tactics from United States Air Force and United States Navy doctrine. Electromagnetic compatibility testing paralleled practices from Federal Communications Commission coordination and frequency management with National Telecommunications and Information Administration. System reliability metrics were reported in milestones reviewed by Government Accountability Office auditors and test results published in reports to the United States Congress oversight committees.

Operational History

The system entered operational service as mission systems matured within squadrons operating the F-35 Lightning II, with initial deployments at Luke Air Force Base and operational testing at Nellis Air Force Base. Combatant commanders' feedback flowed through components such as United States Central Command and United States European Command for theaters including Operation Inherent Resolve and training exercises like Red Flag. Interoperability exercises included participation with units from the Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Italian Air Force, Royal Norwegian Air Force, and Royal Netherlands Air Force.

Operational evaluations measured performance in environments studied by agencies like the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Air Combat Command. Deployments aboard expeditionary basing and carrier strike groups coordinated with United States Naval Forces Europe and Pacific Air Forces. Lessons learned influenced tactics published by Air Warfare Centre and doctrines updated by Joint Chiefs of Staff publications.

Variants and Upgrades

Incremental upgrades have followed patterns similar to lifecycle improvements seen in programs by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control and BAE Systems. Software baseline revisions paralleled processes used by Defense Information Systems Agency for networked systems, while hardware refreshes incorporated improved detectors from suppliers like Honeywell Aerospace and signal processors comparable to developments at Northrup Grumman Mission Systems. Block upgrade paths referenced modular open systems approaches advocated by Office of the Secretary of Defense and acquisition reforms recommended by Congressional Budget Office analyses.

Future upgrade plans considered enhancements inspired by research at California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and algorithmic advances from Carnegie Mellon University in machine perception. Export variants and support configurations were coordinated with partner nations through Foreign Military Sales frameworks managed by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Operators and Deployment

Primary operators include squadrons of the United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, and United States Air Force equipped with the F-35 Lightning II, while international operators consist of units from the Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Israeli Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Republic of Korea Air Force, Royal Netherlands Air Force, Norwegian Air Force, Italian Air Force, and others participating in the F-35 Programme. Deployments have occurred across major commands such as Air Mobility Command and theater commands including United States Central Command and United States Indo-Pacific Command.

Support and logistics are provided through sustainment networks linked to depots such as those managed by Defense Logistics Agency and maintenance training through institutions like Naval Air Technical Training Center and Air Education and Training Command.

Integration and Airframe Compatibility

Integration required close coordination with airframe integrators at Lockheed Martin and avionics suppliers like Rockwell Collins and Honeywell International. Certification testing took place at facilities run by Federal Aviation Administration-adjacent military test centers and followed protocols influenced by NATO Standardization Office. Compatibility considerations included thermal, structural, and electromagnetic integration checks like those used in previous integrations with platforms from Boeing and Eurofighter GmbH. Mission system interfaces were tailored to cockpit displays produced by vendors including BAE Systems Electronics and software integration pipelines used by Leidos.

Category:Aircraft sensors