AN/APG-79

AN/APG-79
Service Depicted: NavyCamera Operator: CDR IAN C. ANDERSON, USN · Public domain · source
Name	AN/APG-79
Caption	APG-79 on F/A-18E/F
Country	United States
Type	Active Electronically Scanned Array radar
Introduced	2009
Manufacturer	Northrop Grumman

AN/APG-79 is an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar developed for naval aviation and carrier-based fighters. It entered fleet service to enhance situational awareness, air-to-air engagement, and air-to-ground targeting for multirole platforms. The system represents a generational shift from mechanically scanned arrays to solid-state, phase-controlled sensors integrated with onboard avionics and datalinks.

Development

Development began as part of modernization efforts involving United States Navy, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman to replace legacy radars on fleet platforms. Programs and stakeholders included initiatives tied to F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and carrier air wing modernization plans shaped by requirements from Naval Air Systems Command and fleet commanders. The project intersected with acquisition pathways influenced by offices such as Office of the Secretary of Defense, and procurement frameworks used in programs like Defense Acquisition Program. Technology maturation drew on research from laboratories including Naval Research Laboratory and collaborations with industry partners such as Raytheon and Lockheed Martin for subsystem integration. Milestones aligned with flight-test campaigns conducted at Patuxent River Naval Air Station and operational evaluation phases overseen by Air Test and Evaluation Squadron and Carrier Air Wing staffs.

Design and Technical Description

The radar uses AESA architecture featuring thousands of transmit/receive modules enabling beam steering without mechanically rotating antennas. Its design integrates with avionics buses and mission systems developed by contractors like Honeywell and Rockwell Collins and interfaces with weapons such as AIM-120 AMRAAM and Joint Direct Attack Munition. Signal processing algorithms leverage techniques advanced in projects like AN/APG-77 and research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology laboratories. Cooling, power conditioning, and packaging reflect engineering practices from Pratt & Whitney propulsion integration and carrier suitability studies from Kennedy Space Center testing regimes. The system supports modes for high-resolution synthetic aperture radar imaging used alongside sensors like Electro-Optical Targeting Pod and navigation aids such as Global Positioning System receivers. Electronic protection features draw on standards promulgated by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency-backed research and align with spectrum management rules from Federal Communications Commission-influenced frameworks.

Operational History

Operational deployment began aboard squadrons assigned to U.S. Pacific Fleet and U.S. Fleet Forces Command, supporting operations from carriers including USS Nimitz (CVN-68), USS George Washington (CVN-73), and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76). The radar has supported missions in theaters associated with Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and maritime security operations in regions such as the Persian Gulf and South China Sea. Fleet squadrons coordinated with assets like E-2 Hawkeye and P-8 Poseidon for integrated air picture development and combined-arms operations with units including Carrier Strike Group and Marine Expeditionary Unit elements. Training and exercises involving allied partners such as Royal Australian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and Royal Air Force units helped validate interoperability with datalinks like Link 16 and command structures in multinational operations like RIMPAC.

Variants and Upgrades

Evolutionary upgrades advanced software-defined capabilities, drawing on open-architecture principles similar to those used in F-35 Lightning II systems and upgrade paths influenced by programs like Common Configuration Implementation Program. Variants tailored for electronic attack roles were integrated into aircraft with systems developed by BAE Systems and avionics suites from Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems. Block upgrades provided enhanced electronic warfare resilience, expanded air-to-ground mapping fidelity, and improved track-while-scan performance paralleling improvements in arrays such as AN/APG-68 and AN/APG-77. Maintenance and logistics improvements adopted practices from Defense Logistics Agency and lifecycle management concepts promoted by Joint Chiefs of Staff guidance.

Operators

Primary operators include units of the United States Navy and squadrons flying Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. International interest and foreign military sales engaged partners such as Royal Australian Air Force, Spanish Navy, and industry collaborations with Airbus-linked supply chains. Carrier air wings equipped with the radar operate alongside allied naval aviation units from nations including Canada, United Kingdom, and New Zealand during multinational exercises and coalition deployments. Logistic and contractor support is provided through networks involving Northrop Grumman and subcontractors like General Electric and L3Harris Technologies.

Specifications

- Type: Active Electronically Scanned Array radar designed for carrier-based fighters used on F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and related platforms. - Modes: Air-to-air search and track, air-to-ground synthetic aperture radar, ground moving target indication, sea search, terrain avoidance, and targeting support compatible with AIM-9 Sidewinder and AGM-65 Maverick weapon integration. - Integration: Avionics integration with systems from Honeywell, Rockwell Collins, and data links such as Link 16. - Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman.

Category:Aircraft radars