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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (Nov. 20, 2002) - The first public demonstration
of the integrated APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA)
radar was conducted during a debut ceremony today, marking another milestone
in bringing increased situational awareness, increased reliability and
lower cost to the U.S. Navy's F/A-18 fighter jets. The new radar will
make the F/A-18 an even more powerful precision strike platform.
"The Navy is another step closer to having this revolutionary capability
in the fleet. It's probably 10 times more capable than current fire
control radars, and we are doing it in less time," said Capt. Dave
Dunaway, APG-79 program manager for PMA-265. "This one is faster,
cheaper and provides much more performance."
"This successful demonstration proves we are well-prepared for
the first flight test in June 2003 and another step closer to delivering
this amazing radar to the fleet," said Wesley Motooka, vice president
of Raytheon's Tactical Aircraft System and Navigation.
"AESA is just the next step in the development of the Super Hornet,"
according to Boeing's AESA manager, Don Thole. "When we first began
to develop the F/A-18 E/F, we set out to build the world's most adaptable,
flexible and lethal weapon system, and this new radar system is a major
step in turning that vision of a revolutionary aircraft into reality.
The Super Hornet has always been a great tool in the Navy's arsenal
- AESA makes it more survivable, supportable and affordable."
Performance and capabilities of current airborne radars are limited
by the speed of the mechanically scanned antennas. In an active array
radar like the APG-79, the radar beam can be steered at close to the
speed of light. This rapid beam scan feature enables superior performance
and capabilities. The APG-79 radar's Multi-Function Array is comprised
of numerous solid state transmit and receive modules, or T/R modules.
Because the array is solid state, mechanical breakdowns are virtually
eliminated, leading to dramatic improvements in reliability and lower
cost -- all achieved with tremendous performance enhancements. The APG-79
is more lethal, more survivable, more reliable and more affordable than
its mechanical cousins.
During the lab demonstration, a fully integrated APG-79, was operated
in Raytheon's El Segundo facility. The integrated system has successfully
transmitted, received, and collected real beam ground mapping radar
data of the California Coastline. Visitors also viewed the radar integration
facility, including the avionics simulator, target generator and special
test equipment.
"Everything in this system - from the array in the front to the
processor in the back and the software that operates in the radar -
is new. Bringing it together in record time has been quite a challenge,"
said Tom Kennedy, Raytheon APG-79 program manager.
The APG-79 program has met every milestone since contract award in 2000.
That includes 100 percent on-time delivery, a staffing budget within
5 percent of plan, and best-in-class management processes since the
AESA entered Engineering and Manufacturing Development, or EMD, in February
2001, a year after new start approval.
"Every element of this program is very innovative, from the contracting
strategy to the technology to the use of Raytheon Six Sigma. Our commitment
to program management best practices has kept us on track," said
Tom Kennedy, Raytheon APG-79 program manager.
Following the laboratory development phase, an extensive flight test
program at Naval Air Weapons Center at China Lake will begin in mid-2003
with the APG-79 installed in the Super Hornet. The system is planned
to be operational in the fleet in 2005.
The Navy plans to buy 411 systems. The lifetime value of the APG-79
AESA program is estimated to be at least $1 billion and will provide
1,000 jobs, 250 of them in Southern California. Internationally, the
APG-79 could be a desirable upgrade for any of the eight countries flying
F/A-18s.
Raytheon Company's Space and Airborne Systems business is a $3 billion
world leader in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced
electronic systems for precision strike; missile defense; and intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance applications. Key capabilities include
electro-optical/infrared sensors, airborne radars, space-qualified systems,
solid state and high energy lasers, precision guidance systems, and
electronic warfare systems. Headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., Space
and Airborne Systems has 9,300 employees and additional facilities in
Goleta, Calif.; Forest, Miss.; and Dallas, McKinney and Plano, Texas.
With headquarters in Lexington, Mass., Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN)
is a global technology leader in defense, government and commercial
electronics, and business and special mission aircraft.
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