Last Updated: 05/24/2011*

A second procurement of the four-year Multi-Year III program has been awarded to Raytheon from The Boeing Company. The procurement calls for production and delivery of 42 APG-79 active electronically scanned array radars for F/A-18 Super Hornet tactical aircraft.

The production of these APG-79 AESA radars will be completed at Raytheon facilities in:

El Segundo, Calif.
Andover, Mass.
Forest, Miss.
Dallas, Texas.

AESA Technology Aids in Super Hornet Effectiveness
As part of the Hornet Industry Team, Raytheon’s Tactical Airborne Systems provides AESA technology to the Super Hornet fleet. The APG-79 AESA radar is flown on U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft and on the Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornet. Raytheon has delivered more than 250 APG-79 AESA radar systems, which have logged more than 175,000 operational flight hours.

“The APG-79 radar has dramatically improved fighter combat capabilities and improved situational awareness for Super Hornet aircrews,” said Eric Ditmars, F/A-18 program director, Tactical Airborne Systems, Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. “The APG-79 AESA hardware offers greater reliability than mechanically scanned array radars, which results in lower life-cycle costs. In addition, it provides capabilities that allow warfighters to detect and identify targets beyond the reach of most missiles.”

Super Hornet Fleet Grows to 500
A milestone celebration was recently held with members of the Hornet Industry Team when The Boeing Company and U.S. Navy marked delivery of the 500th Super Hornet to the Navy’s tactical aircraft fleet of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers.

All 500 aircraft have been delivered on budget and ahead of schedule and will operate from U.S. Navy aircraft carriers through 2035 and beyond.

The Super Hornet and Growler, both of which are combat-deployed, provide increased capabilities for the warfighter. They were designed with extensive growth capacity, enabling evolutionary technology to be added throughout the life of the aircraft to continually expand capabilities and remain ahead of changing threats.

In addition to the contracts with the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force, the Hornet Industry Team is participating in several international fighter competitions.