AN/APG-80
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AN/APG-80 is a high-resolution, pulse-doppler radar system designed for the F-16 Fighting Falcon and other Lockheed Martin aircraft, developed by Northrop Grumman and Raytheon Technologies. The AN/APG-80 radar system is an advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, providing superior air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, as used by the United States Air Force, Royal Norwegian Air Force, and Royal Danish Air Force. The development of the AN/APG-80 was influenced by the F-15 Eagle's AN/APG-63 radar system and the F-22 Raptor's AN/APG-77 radar system. The AN/APG-80 has been compared to other advanced radar systems, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon's CAPTOR radar and the Dassault Rafale's RBE2 radar.
● Introduction
The AN/APG-80 radar system was first introduced in the early 2000s as part of the F-16 Block 60 upgrade program for the United Arab Emirates Air Force. The system was designed to provide advanced beyond-visual-range (BVR) capabilities, as well as high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery, similar to the AN/APG-73 radar system used on the F/A-18 Hornet. The AN/APG-80 has been integrated with various missile systems, including the AIM-120 AMRAAM and the AGM-88 HARM, and has been used in conjunction with the Link 16 data link system. The development of the AN/APG-80 was also influenced by the F-35 Lightning II's AN/APG-81 radar system and the Saab JAS 39 Gripen's PS-05 radar system.
● Design_and_Development
The AN/APG-80 radar system was designed by Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector, now part of Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, in collaboration with Raytheon Technologies' Space and Airborne Systems division. The system uses a gallium arsenide-based monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology, similar to the AN/APG-79 radar system used on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The AN/APG-80's antenna is composed of over 1,000 transmit/receive modules, providing a high degree of reliability and maintainability, as seen in the AN/APG-78 radar system used on the UH-60 Black Hawk. The system's signal processing is performed by a dual-processor system, using Intel Core 2-based processors, similar to those used in the AN/APG-82 radar system.
● Operational_History
The AN/APG-80 radar system has been operational since 2005, with the United Arab Emirates Air Force being the first to deploy the system on their F-16 Block 60 aircraft. The system has also been used by the Royal Norwegian Air Force and the Royal Danish Air Force on their F-16AM/BM aircraft, as well as by the Polish Air Force on their F-16C/D Block 52+ aircraft. The AN/APG-80 has been used in various military operations, including the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) and the Iraq War, and has been integrated with the NATO Airborne Early Warning system. The system has also been compared to other advanced radar systems, such as the Russian Air Force's Phazotron Kopyo radar system and the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force's KLJ-7 radar system.
● Technical_Characteristics
The AN/APG-80 radar system has a range of over 100 nautical miles (185 km) and can track multiple targets simultaneously, using a combination of pulse-doppler and synthetic aperture radar techniques, similar to the AN/APG-77 radar system. The system's azimuth coverage is ±60°, with an elevation coverage of -20° to +60°, and has a probability of intercept (POI) of over 90%, as seen in the AN/APG-81 radar system. The AN/APG-80's mean time between failures (MTBF) is over 200 hours, with a mean time to repair (MTTR) of under 30 minutes, similar to the AN/APG-79 radar system. The system's power consumption is approximately 10 kilowatts, and its weight is around 500 pounds (227 kg), as seen in the AN/APG-78 radar system.
● Operators
The AN/APG-80 radar system is currently used by several countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Norway, Denmark, and Poland, as well as by the United States Air Force and the United States Navy. The system has also been integrated with various aircraft, including the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, and F-35 Lightning II, and has been used in conjunction with the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the Boeing F-15EX. The AN/APG-80 has been compared to other advanced radar systems, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon's CAPTOR radar system and the Dassault Rafale's RBE2 radar system.
● Variants
There are several variants of the AN/APG-80 radar system, including the AN/APG-80(V)1, AN/APG-80(V)2, and AN/APG-80(V)3, each with different capabilities and features, similar to the AN/APG-77 radar system. The AN/APG-80(V)1 is the baseline variant, while the AN/APG-80(V)2 adds advanced air-to-ground capabilities, and the AN/APG-80(V)3 includes additional electronic warfare features, as seen in the AN/APG-81 radar system. The AN/APG-80 has been integrated with various avionics systems, including the F-16's Modular Mission Computer and the F-35's Panoramic Cockpit Display, and has been used in conjunction with the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules and the Boeing P-8 Poseidon.