Raytheon has received the first production contract for ALR-69A(V) all-digital radar warning receivers as it prepares to deliver units for a demonstration of precision emitter geo-location technology.
The $11.9 million low-rate initial production contract is for 13 receivers for installation on US Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130s and F-16s to complete development and operational testing of the system. The new receiver is a drop-in replacement for the widely used ALR-69 and is the first all-digital RWR to enter production, says Raytheon. Deliveries will run between November 2008 and May 2009.
The ALR-69A(V) was selected for the advanced tactical targeting technology (AT3) demonstration because of its wideband digital receiver architecture, says AT3 programme manager Rob Deaton. The goal is to demonstrate that three receiver-equipped aircraft working together can provide precision location and identification of emitters.
Three receivers are undergoing tower testing at Tucson airport in Arizona, says Deaton, and will be delivered towards the end of this year for installation on three Air National Guard F-16s. The AT3 demonstration is to begin early next year and will conclude by mid-2008.
Deaton says an aircraft intercepting an emitter of interest will kick off an automated AT3 "engagement", sending a datalink message to the other two aircraft in the formation to take a look at the same emitter. They will send data back that the original aircraft will use to geo-locate the emitter.
In addition to the ALR-69A(V), AT3 requires precision global positioning/inertial navigation and a datalink - the SADL situational-awareness datalink in the case of the ANG F-16s being used for the demonstration.
Deaton says Raytheon's plan is to insert AT3 capability into the ALR-69A(V) as well as its ALR-67(V)3 RWR for the US Navy's Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The latter has digital receiver components, but is not an all-digital RWR, he adds.
Source: Flight International
