Northrop Grumman officials said they expect the Air Force to “imminently” release a request for proposals outlining requirements for upgrading the radars on at least 300 F-16s, said Joe Ensor, general manager of the company’s ISR and targeting division. The Air Force intends to equip these F-16s with advanced electronically scanned array radar systems. Speaking during a Sept. 10 briefing with reporters in Washington, D.C., Ensor said the radar upgrade is likely to be separate from the planned service life extension program for the service’s F-16s. “We are working with the Air Force very closely on that right now,” he said. Company officials announced last year that they had begun incorporating software modes from the F-35 strike fighter’s APG-81 AESA radar, which Northrop Grumman supplies, into its Scaleable Agile Beam Radar design for the F-16. Appearing with Ensor, Pat Antkowiak, general manager of Northrop Grumman’s advanced concept and technology division, said integrating SABR on the F-16 would significantly boost the fighter’s capabilities. Raytheon is also expected to vie for the rights to upgrade the F-16s with its Advanced Combat Radar, or RACR, offering.
Skyborg Makes First Flight Aboard Kratos Mako
May 5, 2021
The Skyborg software and hardware suite allowing unmanned aircraft to team with crewed ones flew for the first time April 29, the Air Force said, launching a series of experiments meant to prove the safety and effectiveness of the approach.