NORTHROP GRUMMAN has completed the first phase of flight-testing of the F-5E Tiger IV avionics upgrade. The initial 12 flights concentrated on evaluating the air-to-air modes of the Westinghouse APG-66 pulse-Doppler radar, says F-5 demonstration project engineer Tom Cooke.
The upgraded aircraft was used to demonstrate a doubling in radar-detection range compared to be basic aircraft, which has a non-coherent APQ-159 radar. Preliminary results suggest that the upgrade "is very successful so far", says Aziz Soltani, head of the F-5 avionics-integration programme.
The aircraft has been grounded for a software upgrade and a further seven flights are planned, predominantly to test the air-to-ground modes of the integrated weapon-system, and weapon delivery, says Cooke. Radar air-to-ground modes and improvements to the pilot-vehicle interface will be evaluated, says Soltani.
The Tiger IV demonstrator was first flown on 20 April and is scheduled to be on static display at the worldwide F-5 operator's meeting at the US Air Force's San Antonio Air Logistics Center at Kelly AFB, Texas, in late October, early November. Flight-test data will be available by then for potential upgrade customers to peruse.
The F-5E is on loan to Northrop Grumman under a pioneering co-operative research-and-development agreement with the USAF, which has provided the US Navy aircraft in return for test results.
Source: Flight International
