Northrop Grumman completes flight tests AESA radar system

June 15th, 1999

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector (ES3) has successfully completed the second set of flight tests for its new, fourth-generation active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system designed to meet a wide range of emerging military tactical and surveillance aircraft requirements.

This latest series of flight tests, which were completed in late May, focused on demonstrating a key air-to-ground mode required for future strike fighters.

During flights on Northrop Grumman's BAC 111 flying avionics test bed, the new multi-mode AESA radar carried out all-weather, high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) ground imaging at tactically significant ranges. The first flights of the Northrop Grumman ES3 AESA radar system occurred in December and focused on air-to-air modes.

"Our new fourth-generation AESA radar successfully met this key air-to-ground mode objective supporting future precision strike requirements,'' said Robert Thompson, director and executive programs manager, Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) and Tactical Aircraft Programs at Northrop Grumman ES3. This result demonstrates the technology foundation for current tactical strike and fighter aircraft and is crucial to the credibility of the offerings to such programs as the F/A-18E/F AESA as well as future aircraft requirements of the U.S./U.K. Joint Strike Fighter.''

The fourth-generation radar system features a fully populated AESA antenna, a high-performance radar receiver/exciter and a commercial off-the- shelf (COTS) processor. The system incorporates advances in AESA technology, resulting in dramatic reductions in cost and weight, while also demonstrating significantly improved reliability and efficiency.

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