F-18 Advanced Super Hornet

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7G turn in F-18 Super Hornet! HD

 

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Raytheon Tests New APG-79(V)X AESA Radar to Lengthen US Navy F/A-18C-D Hornet Relevance

A successful flight test of the Raytheon-built APG-79(V)X AESA radar system has demonstrated the functions needed to extend the relevance of F/A-18C/D Hornet fighter/attack jets, including:
» extended detection ranges
» simultaneous air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities
» production of high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mapping
» industry leading reliability.

"We put our latest AESA radar capability to the test and it exceeded our expectations," said Mike "Ponch" Garcia, business development director of Tactical Airborne Systems for Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems business, and a former F/A-18E/F Super Hornet pilot/instructor. "Our APG-79(V)X combines the best features of our AESA portfolio to ensure low risk and give F/A-18C/D a tactical advantage for the next 15 to 20 years."

The company has delivered more than 500 tactical AESA tactical radars from its portfolio that includes the APG-79, APG-63(V)3 and APG-82(V)1 for F-15, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G and B-2 aircraft. The APG-79 system, a U.S. Navy program of record, flies globally on F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers, and has seen service in four combat theaters since its first delivery in 2006.

"Raytheon fielded the world's first operational AESA radar for fighter aircraft in 2000," said Roy Azevedo, vice president for Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems business. "Our portfolio of tactical AESA radars has now flown more than 500,000 operational hours – an industry first. We will continue to advance this technology to give our warfighters the greatest possible tactical advantage."
http://www.navyrecognition.com/inde...ngthen-us-navy-fa-18c-d-hornet-relevance.html

 

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AESA upgrade battle heats up for F/A-18 Hornets
A new competition has emerged to upgrade the radars for potentially hundreds of the original Boeing F/A-18 Hornet fighters operated by US and foreign militaries.

Northrop Grumman and Raytheon have confirmed plans to offer tailored versions of each company’s active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars for so-called “legacy” F/A-18 Hornets, including A, B, C, D models.

Raytheon recently performed a flight test of the APG-79(V)X radar, a system scaled down from the APG-79 installed on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

“I was sitting in the testbed myself and watching it real time it felt like watching the APG-79 I saw in the fleet,” says Michael “Ponch” Garcia, a Raytheon business development director and former US Navy F/A-18E/F pilot and instructor.

Meanwhile, Northrop offers the scaleable agile beam radar (SABR) as an upgrade for legacy Lockheed Martin F-16s, but it can be adapted for older F/A-18s.

Northrop “believes SABR to be a natural fit for the aircraft. With common modes leveraged from the [Lockheed] F-35, the APG-83 SABR would bring fifth-generation aircraft [radio frequency] performance to the Hornet, and extend its operational relevance for the life of the platform,” says Jeff Leavitt, vice-president for combat avionics systems.

The F/A-18 upgrade market had previously been limited to the Super Hornet variant, but several recent moves have made retrofits for legacy Hornets feasible.
Last October, the US Marine Corps released a long-term aviation plan which deferred the retirement of its last F/A-18C/D units by five years to 2030, matching the service life expected by the Finnish air force. Meanwhile, voters in Switzerland last May rejected a plan to replace F/A-18s with Saab Gripens.

Raytheon’s Garcia says a Hornet radar upgrade is being considered by the USMC and international operators, but declines to identify the potential foreign customers.

“Especially now with the way the budgets are they’ve got to figure out how to keep what they have going longer, and then, once they crack that nut, figure out how to keep them relevant,” Garcia says.

Replacing mechanically-scanned APG-65s or APG-73s with an AESA could drive additional upgrades. Some customers are considering replacing the mission computer and other systems, such as radar warning receivers.
“That’s kind of the discussions we’re in right now: what is the optimal upgrade path that supports this to give you the most bang for the buck,” he says.
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/aesa-upgrade-battle-heats-up-for-fa-18-hornets-408074/

 

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The revolutionary APG-79 AESA radar provides F/A-18 aircrews with powerful capabilities
The APG-79 AESA radar system represents a significant advance in radar technology – from the front-end array to the back-end processor and operational software. This combat-proven AESA radar system substantially increases the power of the U.S. Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, making it less vulnerable than ever before.

With its active electronic beam scanning — which allows the radar beam to be steered at nearly the speed of light — the APG-79 optimizes situational awareness and provides superior air-to-air and air-to-surface capability. The agile beam enables the multimode radar to interleave in near-real time, so that pilot and crew can use both modes simultaneously.

Now in full rate production for the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force, the APG-79 demonstrates reliability, image resolution, and targeting and tracking range significantly greater than that of the previous mechanically scanned array F/A-18 radar. With its open systems architecture and compact, commercial-off-the-shelf parts, it delivers dramatically increased capability in a smaller, lighter package. The array is composed of numerous solid-state transmit and receive modules to virtually eliminate mechanical breakdown. Other system components include an advanced receiver/exciter, ruggedized COTS processor, and power supplies.

In addition to the APG-79, Raytheon supplies the F/A-18E/F aircraft with several other systems. Among these are the current APG-73 radar, ATFLIR forward-looking infrared targeting pod, ALR-67(V)3 digital radar warning receiver, ALE-50 towed decoy and a variety of missiles and bombs, including laser-guided weapons such as the Paveway and JSOW.
http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/atflir/index.html

 

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Raytheon's Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared pod delivers pinpoint accuracy and reliability for air-to-air and air-to-ground mission support.

ATFLIR's unmatched technical advantages enable aviators to perform their missions, in the harshest conditions, with maximum efficiency and security. Its plug-and-play performance allows for easy installation and seamless operation for enhanced interoperability with coalition forces.

Raytheon's Advanced Targeting FLIR assures mission success by integrating advanced EO and IR sensors with one of the most powerful lasers on the market. ATFLIR can locate and designate targets day or night at ranges exceeding 40 nautical miles and altitudes surpassing 50,000 feet, outperforming comparable targeting systems. As a powerful net-enabler, it can pass tracking and targeting information to other nodes in the networked battlespace with the speed and precision.

Now in full-rate production, fully integrated and flight tested on all F/A-18 models, ATFLIR provides aircrews with unparalleled performance:

• A substantial increase in target detection/recognition range
• Pinpoint accuracy and assessment from longer standoff ranges
• The most advanced laser designation capability
• Superior EO/IR imagery

The program's Operational Evaluation was one of the most successful in U.S. Naval aviation history. ATFLIR met or exceeded all of the Navy's requirements, including effectiveness, survivability, reliability, and maintainability.

The streamlined ATFLIR integrates laser tracking and infrared targeting functions on F/A-18 aircraft into a single compact pod, freeing an air-to-air weapon station for other mission requirements. An IR marker has been inserted and integrated on ATFLIR and will enter production soon.

By incorporating the latest secure technology while allowing for future upgrade and enhancement, ATFLIR ensures continued aerial superiority. ATFLIR is positioned to serve as a critical node in FORCEnet, the fully networked battlespace of the future. Planned enhancements include:

• EO camera and laser spot tracker improvements
• Detection range increases
• Electronics consolidation
• Sensor fusion
• Automatic target recognition

Truly technologically advanced, ATFLIR EO/IR sensor components utilize a single common optical path and continuous automatic boresight alignment to ensure accurate target coverage and battle-tested sensor-to-shooter tactical mission support.
http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/atflir/index.html

 

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AN/ALR-67(V)3 Radar Warning Receiver
Improved situational awareness
The AN/ALR-67(V)3 digital radar warning receiver dramatically enhances the survivability of the warfighter through improved situational awareness.

The AN/ALR-67(V)3 is the advanced digital countermeasures receiving set now serving as the "System of Record" U.S. Navy radar warning receiver (RWR) on all front-line, carrier-based F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet tactical aircraft. In full rate production, it is the Naval Air Systems Command's answer to a critical operational requirement — ensuring survivability in today's complex, high-density environment.

The channelized receiver architecture allows successful detection of emitters in high pulse density, as well as interception of faint distant signals despite interference from strong nearby transmitters. The digital measurement path of the receiver uses leading edge digital technology for improved reliability and low cost through reduced parts count, and improved performance through precision digital parameter measurements. This is a key enabler for the advanced functionality needed to fulfill the requirements of major combat operations over the next several decades.

The AN/ALR-67(V)3 is fully integrated with all avionics equipment on the F/A-18 A/B/C/D Hornets, as well as that on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets
http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/alr67/index.html

 

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AN/ALE-50 Towed Decoy System
Critical end-game countermeasure proven to defeat enemy missile attacks.
The ALE-50 program, a joint development venture by a U.S. Air Force/Navy/Raytheon integrated product team, demonstrates a highly successful multi-service approach to ECM system commonality. The ALE-50 towed decoy acts as a preferential target that lures enemy missiles away by providing a much larger radar cross section than the aircraft. The protection it provides to aircraft and aircrews makes the ALE-50 one of the most important end-game electronic countermeasures available today. More than 25,000 decoys have been delivered.

The ALE-50 towed decoy has provided combat-proven aircraft protection against RF missile threats in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Featuring low acquisition and life-cycle cost, the system adaptability enables installation and operation on virtually any airborne platform. The ALE-50 towed decoy is currently operational on the F-16, F/A-18E/F, and B-1B aircraft.

Raytheon can also provide fiber-optic towed decoys, including high-power variants, to protect both tactical and large aircraft. A reel-out reel-in magazine enabling decoy reuse is also in development.
http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/apg79aesa/

 

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Paveway Laser Guided Bomb
Converting Bombs Into Precision-Guided Weapons.
The Paveway™ family of laser guided bombs has revolutionized tactical air-to-ground warfare by converting "dumb" bombs into precision guided munitions. Paveway bombs have been put to the test in every major conflict and proved themselves, time and again, as the weapon of choice by the end-users. Paveways made up more than half the air-to-ground precision guided weapons used in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Newer versions of Paveway include GPS/INS guidance capabilities. This innovation combines the accuracy and flexibility of traditional laser-guided weapons with the all-weather capability of GPS guidance, resulting in a weapon that decreases the required sortie count and weapon inventory while simultaneously increasing the mission success rate.
http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/paveway/index.html

 

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http://www.boeing.com/defense/fa-18-super-hornet/#/capabilities

 

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Long Range Anti-Ship Missile

LRASM is a long range, precision-guided anti-ship missile leveraging off of the successful JASSM-ER heritage, and is designed to meet the needs of U.S. Navy and Air Force warfighters. Armed with a penetrator and blast fragmentation warhead, LRASM employs precision routing and guidance, day or night in all weather conditions. The missile employs a multi-modal sensor suite, weapon data link, and enhanced digital anti-jam Global Positioning System to detect and destroy specific targets within a group of numerous ships at sea.

Background

Lockheed Martin is currently executing on the Accelerated Acquisition contract for the LRASM Deployment Office. This contract is further maturing the technologies that will be delivered as an early operational capability in LRASM for the USAF B-1B and USN F/A-18E/F in 2018 and 2019 respectively. This operational capability will provide our warfighter with the solution to their anti-surface warfare capability gap. We have begun the integration efforts onto the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Fit and mass properties checks were conducted at Pax River Naval Base with the U.S. Navy and captive-carry flight tests took place in 4Q15. We are also investing company funds to reduce risk of a surface-launch variant that will be used by the VLS currently in the fleet.

LRASM technology will reduce dependence on ISR platforms, network links, and GPS navigation in aggressive electronic warfare environments. This advanced guidance operation means the weapon can use gross target cueing data to find and destroy its pre-defined target in denied environments. Precision lethality against surface and land targets ensures the system will become an important addition to the US Navy warfighter’s arsenal. LRASM provides range, survivability, and lethality that no other current system provides.
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/LRASM/overview.html

 

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Long Range Anti-Ship Missile - Lockheed Martin - LRASM

 

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AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon
Precision Target Engagement
JSOW is a family of low-cost, air-to-ground weapons that employ an integrated GPS-inertial navigation system and thermal imaging infrared seeker.
AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW)

JSOW C-1 adds the two-way Strike Common Weapon Datalink to the combat-proven weapon, enabling a moving maritime target capability.

The JSOW C-1 is designed to provide fleet forces with the capability and flexibility to engage moving maritime targets, while retaining its robust capability against stationary land targets. The weapon is a modification to the existing JSOW C, which adds a weapon datalink radio and modified seeker software to increase capability for the anti-surface warfare mission. JSOW C-1 is the world’s first network-enabled weapon with a range of more than 100 kilometers.
http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/jsow/

 

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F/A-18F Super Hornet first AGM-154C JSOW (Joint Stand Off Weapon) live fire

 

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AGM-65 Maverick Missile
Modern Missile. Proven Capability.
The AGM-65 Maverick® is a precision-attack missile for the air, naval and marine forces of 30 countries. Maverick is certified for use on more than 25 aircraft, including helicopters, fighters, attack and patrol aircraft. More than 69,000 missiles have been produced to date, and more than 6,000 have been used in combat, with 93 percent accuracy.

Maverick configurations are based on three seekers — television, infrared and laser — and two warhead sizes. The missile’s guidance software provides attack capability around-the-clock against fixed high-value targets, high-speed moving and maneuvering armored vehicles, ships and fast boats, and targets of opportunity. Targets of opportunity provide all-altitude point-and-shoot flexibility ideally suited for time-critical strike in urban close air support and maritime operations.
NEW LASER-GUIDED MAVERICK MISSILE (AGM-65E2/L)
The new Laser Maverick includes these enhancements:

• Digital laser seeker
• New software that reduces the risk of collateral damage and is upgradable based on customer needs
• Ability to precisely engage land and sea-based high speed moving targets
• Advanced flight algorithms to boost performance in a variety of operational situations
• Proven compatibility with existing F/A-18, AV-8B, F-16 & A-10C operational flight program integration
• Self, buddy and ground-based lasing capability for all platforms

Prudent investment in new technologies has kept Maverick at the leading edge of capability for 40 years, and planned seeker and guidance improvements will extend Maverick’s viability into the future.
The guidance system also allows man-in-the-loop lock-on before launch. Its guidance is accurate to within one meter, which greatly reduces the possibility of collateral damage during urban close air support.

The missile is modular, which allows it to be equipped with different guidance packages and warheads. It can carry two types of warheads: a heavy-weight warhead and a light-weight warhead. The heavy-weight version can penetrate the target before detonating and has delayed fuse setting options. Both of the warheads have contact sensors in the nose of the missile.

Countries that currently use Maverick include the United States, Japan, Malaysia, Israel, Hungary, Canada, Greece, Jordan, Czech Republic, Italy, Oman, Chile, Denmark, Iraq, Morocco, Indonesia, Egypt, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Pakistan, Sweden, Spain, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Turkey.
http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/agm65/

 

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The AGM 65 Maverick, USA - Missile With Kill Rate of 93%!!

 

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Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb (LGB)

Advanced Guidance System
The Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb from Lockheed Martin integrates an advanced guidance system to convert conventional gravity bombs into precision guided munitions. The innovative and highly cost effective guidance package inside the MAU-209C/B computer control group (CCG) ensures more bombs on target!


A semi-active laser seeker and pneumatically controlled canards guide the weapon. The air foil group (AFG) includes extending wings to provide lift and stability. The aerodynamic properties, exterior dimensions, and overall weapon mass properties of the MAU-209C/B CCG remain the same as existing Paveway II LGB CCGs. The Paveway II Plus guidance section is field programmable, allowing easy installation of future capability.

Paveway II Plus LGB can be used in all Paveway II LGB weapon configurations and aircraft, and is compatible with the MK 80 series and BLU-109 warheads.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/pavewayIIpluslaserguidedbomb.html

 

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DMLGB Lockheed Martin Paveway II Dual Mode Laser-Guided Bomb

 

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Sensor Fuzed Weapon (SFW)
The Sensor-Fuzed Weapon (SFW) is a smart air-to-ground area weapon designed to defeat multiple moving and fixed vehicular targets on land and at sea – including heavy armored battle tanks, missile launchers, armored personnel carriers and maritime threats.

• Required. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, “There remains a military requirement to engage area targets that include massed formations of enemy forces, individual targets dispersed over a defined area, targets whose precise locations are not known, and time-sensitive or moving targets…. lanket elimination of cluster munitions is unacceptable due not only to negative military consequences but also due to potential negative consequences for civilians. Large scale use of unitary weapons, as the only alternative to achieve military objectives, could result, in some cases, in unacceptable collateral damage and explosive remnants of war issues.”
  [*]Distinct. Developed in response to concerns about both the effectiveness and humanitarian impact of traditional cluster munitions, the SFW virtually eliminates the threat of unexploded ordnance – or “duds” – to military personnel on the battlefield and civilians after conflicts have ended.
  

• Effective. Each SFW is comprised of a dispenser and 10 submunitions, each carrying four projectile warheads. Detonation is initiated through the arming and propelling of the warhead over a target area, and is completed when – having detected a valid target – the warhead fires an explosively-formed penetrator to effectively perforate hardened steel and instantly defeat the target.
• Safe. If a valid target is not detected, one of the warhead’s three safety modes will activate. The first two modes cause the warhead to self-destruct either after eight seconds from launch or when it descends to 50 feet above the ground. The warhead’s third feature is a power-depleting mechanism that is activated after hitting the ground and renders the warhead inert within minutes.
• Reliable. The SFW has demonstrated greater than 99 percent reliability with U.S. Government-verified performance in combat operations and during more than 600 operational tests. Unlike traditional cluster munitions, with failure rates that have exceeded 40 percent, the SFW ensures a clean battlefield for follow-on troop movement and civilian habitation.
• http://www.textronsystems.com/capabilities/smart-weapons/sfw

 

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ONE BOMB KILLS 40 TANKS us air force CBU 105 cluster bomb

 

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AIM-9X Sidewinder
Infrared-tracking, short-range multi-mission missile
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is the most advanced infrared-tracking, short-range air-to-air and surface-to-air missile in the world. It is configured for easy installation on a wide range of modern aircraft, including the F-15, F-16, F/A-18 and F-4 fighters, A-4, A-6 and AV-8B attack aircraft, and the AH-1 helicopter. Allied aircraft configured for Sidewinders include the Tornado, the JA-37 Viggen and the Sea Harrier.

A true dual use missile, AIM-9X® is effective in either air-to-air or surface-to-air applications with no modifications required to the missile. It is compatible with the U.S. Army’s ground-based multi-mission launcher.

Over the years, the Sidewinder's effectiveness and all-aspect capabilities have been combat-proven in several theaters throughout the world.

The AIM-9X Block II is the current version of the AIM-9 Sidewinder short range missile family in use by more than 40 nations throughout the world. This next generation Sidewinder missile is in its 14th year of production.

AIM-9X is actively deployed on U.S. Navy and Air Force F-15, F-16, and F-18 aircraft, and is further deployed in the air forces of 18 international customers.

The AIM-9X Block II adds a redesigned fuze and a digital Ignition Safety Device that enhances ground handling and in-flight safety. The Block II variant also features updated electronics that enable significant enhancements, including lock-on-after-launch capability using a new weapon datalink to support Beyond Visual Range engagements.
http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/aim-9x/