The AN/APG-68

radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...

is a long range (maximum detection range )

Pulse-Doppler radar A pulse-Doppler radar is a radar system that determines the range to a target using pulse-timing techniques, and uses the Doppler effect of the returned signal to determine the target object's velocity. It combines the features of pulse radars and ...

Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational Aerospace manufacturer, aerospace and Arms industry, defense company. With 97,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $40 billion, it is one of the world's largest Arms industry ...

) to replace AN/APG-66

in the

General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superio ...

. The AN/APG-68 radar is now currently being replaced on US Air Force F-16C/D Block 40/42 and 50/52 by the AN/APG-83 AESA radar. In accordance with the

Joint Electronics Type Designation System The Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), which was previously known as the Joint Army-Navy Nomenclature System (AN System. JAN) and the Joint Communications-Electronics Nomenclature System, is a method developed by the U.S. War Depa ...

(JETDS), the "''AN/APG-68''" designation represents the 68th design of an Army-Navy airborne electronic device for

fire-control A fire-control system (FCS) is a number of components working together, usually a gun data computer, a Director (military), director and radar, which is designed to assist a ranged weapon system to target, track, and hit a target. It performs th ...

equipment. The JETDS system also now is used to name all

Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...

electronic systems.

Description

The AN/APG-68 is an improvement to the AN/APG-66 used on the F-16A/B. The AN/APG-68(V)8 and earlier radar system consists of the following

line-replaceable unit A line-replaceable unit (LRU), lower line-replaceable unit (LLRU), line-replaceable component (LRC), or line-replaceable item (LRI) is a modular component of an airplane, ship or spacecraft (or any other manufactured device) that is designed to b ...

s: * Antenna * Dual Mode

Transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter (often abbreviated as XMTR or TX in technical documents) is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna with the purpose of sig ...

(DMT) * Modular Low-power radio frequency (MLPRF) * Programmable signal processor (PSP) The AN/APG-68(V)9 radar system consists of the following

s: * Antenna * Medium Duty Transmitter (MDT) * Modular Receiver/Exciter (MoRE) * Common Radar Processor (CoRP) The AN/APG-68(V)9 radar is the latest development. Besides the increase in scan range compared to the previous version, it has a

Synthetic aperture radar Synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) is a form of radar that is used to create two-dimensional images or 3D reconstruction, three-dimensional reconstructions of objects, such as landscapes. SAR uses the motion of the radar antenna over a target regi ...

(SAR) capability. The APG-68(V)9 has equipped several variants, including the Egyptian Air Force, Israeli Air Force,

Chilean Air Force The Chilean Air Force () is the air force of Chile and branch of the Chilean military. History The first step towards the current FACh is taken by Lieutenant Colonel, Teniente Coronel training as a pilot in France. Although a local academy was c ...

Republic of Singapore Air Force The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is the aerial service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for controlling and defending the airspace of the country, and providing air support to the Army and Navy. It was establis ...

Turkish Air Force The Turkish Air Force () is the Air force, air and space force of the Turkish Armed Forces. It traces its origins to 1 June 1911 when it was founded as the Ottoman Aviation Squadrons, Aviation Squadrons by the Ottoman Empire. It was composed ...

Royal Moroccan Air Force The Royal Moroccan Air Force (; ; ) is the air force of the Moroccan Armed Forces. History The Moroccan air force was formed on 14 May 1956 as the Sherifian Royal Aviation (). Its modern installations and bases were inherited from France (Bass ...

, Greek Air Force,

Pakistan Air Force The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) (; ) is the aerial warfare branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces, tasked primarily with the aerial defence of Pakistan, with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Navy when re ...

Polish Air Force The Polish Air Force () is the aerial warfare Military branch, branch of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as ''Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej'' (). In 2014 it consisted of roughly 26,000 military personnel an ...

Royal Thai Air Force The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) (; ) is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913 as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force has engaged in numerous major and minor conflicts. During the ...

, and

Indonesian Air Force The Indonesian Air Force (, sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF) is the Air force, aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The Indonesian Air Force is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, and is headed by the Chief of Staff of th ...

Specifications

*Frequency: Starting Envelope frequency around 9.86 GHz. *Under AIS Testing as high as 26 GHz *Max Detection Range : *Search cone: 120 degrees × 120 degrees *Azimuth angular coverage: ±10 degrees / ± 30 degrees / ± 60 degrees *Programmable Signal Processor (PSP) - The core radar component which is responsible for signal processing, frequency selection, signal digitization for B-Scope display. The PSP is controlled through the F-16 Heads Down Display Set (HDDS) or what is commonly called the Multi-Function Displays (MFDs). The PSP is directed by the system operational flight program (OFP), which is controlled and modified for new threats or addition radar system requirements. The PSP also contains all the controls circuitry for radar A/A and A/G operational scan patterns and SAR/ISAR operation. *Modular Low Powered Radio Frequency (MLPRF) - The frequency generator for the radar system. Frequency generation is dependent on the random frequency selection from the radar tables within the PSP upon system start-up. The MLPRF will generate a small amount of RF Drive, which is sent to the Dual Mode Transmitter (DMT), where it is amplified and a small RF sample is sent to the MLPRF for comparison checksum (more like a check and balance system). The MLPRF also is responsible for the receiving of the radar return, generating the RF injection noise (for RF discrimination), and the processed RF within the MLPRF is then later sent to the PSP for video processing and threat/target matching against the radar threat tables within the PSP, prior to flightcrew system display. *Dual Mode Transmitter (DMT) - A 24,000 volt radar transmitter, containing a TWT, which generates the amplified RF to be sent to the radar Antenna for system emission. The TWT operates by optical pulses received from the DMT's internal Pulse Decker Unit and TWT Cathode/Anode voltage inputs. *Antenna - A planar array antenna, which is constructed to receive RF data through a

waveguide A waveguide is a structure that guides waves by restricting the transmission of energy to one direction. Common types of waveguides include acoustic waveguides which direct sound, optical waveguides which direct light, and radio-frequency w ...

system. The transmitted and received pulses are controlled in time by the PMW (Pulse Modulated Wave) radar design, and the waveguide duplexer assembly. Internal to the antenna are Uniphaser Assemblies (used for quadrature phase control), Phase Shifters (used of quadrature I/Q data) and

gimbal A gimbal is a pivoted support that permits rotation of an object about an axis. A set of three gimbals, one mounted on the other with orthogonal pivot axes, may be used to allow an object mounted on the innermost gimbal to remain independent of ...

ized motor control for antenna positioning and position correction.

References

External links

Northrop Grumman APG-68(V)9 Site

{{DEFAULTSORT:AN/APG-68 Aircraft radars Military radars of the United States Military electronics of the United States Radars of the United States Air Force Synthetic aperture radar Military radars of Poland

Description

Specifications

See also

References

External links