The Desert Falcons’ most significant changes, however, are electronic. The most important is the Northrtop Grumman AN/APG-80 AESA radar, which made the UAE the first air force in the world besides the USAF to field this revolutionary new radar technology. AESA radars have more power, better range, less sidelobe “leakage,” better reliability and much better combat availability, and more potential capabilities via software improvements, vs. mechanically-scanned arrays like the AN/APG-68v9s that equip the most advanced American and foreign F-16s. Unlike the APG-68s, the APG-80 can perform simultaneous ground and air scan, track, and targeting, and has an “agile beam” that reduces the odds of detection by opposing aircraft when the radar is on. This last feature is important – one pilot has described turning on one’s radar in combat as being similar to turning on a flashlight in a large and dark building.
The Desert Falcons also take a step beyond the targeting pod systems fielded on other F-16s, by incorporating them into the aircraft itself. Northrop Grumman’s AN/ASQ-32 IFTS is derived from its work on the AN/AQS-28 LITENING AT pod, but the internal positioning reduces drag and radar signature, and frees up a weapons pylon. The ASQ-32 can be used to find aerial targets, as well as opponents on the ground.
Various advanced electronic countermeasures systems make up the Falcon Edge Integrated Electronic Warfare System (IEWS), which provides both advance warning capabilities and automatic countermeasures release.
A helmet mounted display option provides advanced capabilities commensurate with their most modern counterparts, and displays information from the aircraft’s radar and sensors. Avionics improvements round out the enhancements via an advanced mission computer to enhance sensor and weapon integration, a trio of 5”x7” color displays in the cockpit, et. al.