The AN/APG-68

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...

is a long range (up to 296 km)

Pulse-doppler 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 an ...

radar designed by Westinghouse (now

Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense technology company. With 90,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers and military techn ...

) to replace

AN/APG-66 The AN/APG-66 radar is a solid state medium range (up to 150 km) pulse-Doppler planar array radar originally designed by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation (now Northrop Grumman) for use in the F-16 Fighting Falcon. This radar was emplo ...

in the F-16 Fighting Falcon. 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 is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the ...

(DMT) * Modular Low-power radio frequency (MLPRF) * Programmable

signal processor Signal processing is an electrical engineering subfield that focuses on analyzing, modifying and synthesizing ''signals'', such as sound, images, and scientific measurements. Signal processing techniques are used to optimize transmissions, di ...

(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 three-dimensional reconstructions of objects, such as landscapes. SAR uses the motion of the radar antenna over a target region to provide fine ...

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

Chilean Air Force "With full speed to the stars" , colours = Indigo White , colours_label = , march = Alte Kameraden , mascot = , anniversaries = 21 March ...

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 establi ...

Turkish Air Force The Turkish Air Force ( tr, ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish Air Force can trace its origins back to June 1911 when it was founded by the Ottoman Empire, however, the air force as it is known to ...

Royal Moroccan Air Force The Royal Moroccan Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الملكية; ber, Adwas ujenna ageldan; french: Forces Royales Air) is the air force of the Moroccan Armed Forces. History The Moroccan air force was formed on 14 May 1956 as the ...

Greek Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = 8 November , equipment = , equipment_label ...

Pakistan Air Force , "Be it deserts or seas; all lie under our wings" (traditional) , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = ...

, Polish Air Force,

Royal Thai Air Force "Royal Thai Air Force March" , mascot = , anniversaries = 9 April 1937 (Royal Thai Air Force Day) , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles ...

, and

Indonesian Air Force The Indonesian Air Force ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU), literally "''Indonesian National Military-Air Force''") sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF, is the aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The I ...

Specifications

*Frequency: Starting Envelope frequency around 9.86 GHz. *Under AIS Testing as high as 26 GHz *Range: 296.32 km, 184 miles *Range for 5m² aerial target is 105 km *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 Display A multifunction display (MFD) is a small-screen ( CRT or LCD) surrounded by multiple soft keys (configurable buttons) that can be used to display information to the user in numerous configurable ways. MFDs originated in aviation, first in mil ...

s (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 Planar is an adjective meaning "relating to a plane (geometry)". Planar may also refer to: Science and technology * Planar (computer graphics), computer graphics pixel information from several bitplanes * Planar (transmission line technologies), ...

antenna, which is constructed to receive RF data through a

waveguide A waveguide is a structure that guides waves, such as electromagnetic waves or sound, with minimal loss of energy by restricting the transmission of energy to one direction. Without the physical constraint of a waveguide, wave intensities de ...

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