The US Air Force has made the first move in its plan to introduce a new generation of radar warning receivers (RWR) for the Boeing F-15 fleet, calling on potential suppliers to participate in a six-month series of laboratory trials starting in May, writes Stephen Trimble.
USAF officials want a "better understanding of the available technologies and the risks associated" with the evolution of digital receiver technologies, according to a USAF acquisition notice posted on 8 March.
The technology survey will be used to inform requirements for a competitive system development and demonstration award from 2008. The USAF's plans call for upgrading RWRs on 179 F-15C/D Eagles and 225 F-15E Strike Eagles, but those numbers could dramatically change late this year.
The fleet size reflects the F-15 force the USAF wants to sustain until at least 2025. However, those figures assume the delivery of 381 Lockheed Martin/Boeing F/A-22 Raptors, which have been cut to 179 and will be reviewed again during the Quadrennial Defense Review now taking shape.
The F-15 RWR upgrades are a critical factor in the force-mix decision, as only aircraft updated to channelised digital technology will be protected against threats projected to be emerging through 2030. A new class of digitised receivers, such as the Raytheon Modular Digital Electronic Warfare System, allows for full integration with the F-15's avionics and sensors.
For example, the USAF's request for information says the receiver upgrade includes a requirement to cue an active electronically scanned array radar, which is also in stages of the F-15's upgrade roadmap. The USAF has almost finished installing the Raytheon APG-63(V)1 radar, which retains the mechanically scanned array and upgrades the radar processor.
Source: Flight International
