The AN/APG-68
radar is a long range (up to 296 km)
Pulse-doppler radar designed by Westinghouse (now
Northrop Grumman) to replace
AN/APG-66 radar in the
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful ...
. The AN/APG-68(V)8 and earlier radar system consists of the following
line-replaceable units:
*
Antenna
Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to:
Science and engineering
* Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves
* Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...
* Dual Mode
Transmitter (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
line-replaceable units:
*
Antenna
Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to:
Science and engineering
* Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves
* Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...
* 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 (SAR) capability.
The APG-68(V)9 has equipped several variants, including the Egyptian Air Force, Israeli Air Force,
Chilean Air Force,
Republic of Singapore Air Force,
Turkish Air Force,
Royal Moroccan Air Force,
Greek Air Force,
Pakistan Air Force,
Polish Air Force
The Polish Air Force ( pl, Siły Powietrzne, , Air Forces) is the aerial warfare 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 16,425 mil ...
,
Royal Thai Air Force, and
Indonesian Air Force.
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 5m
2 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 Displays (MFDs). The PSP is directed by the system
operational flight program
An operational definition specifies concrete, replicable procedures designed to represent a construct. In the words of American psychologist S.S. Stevens (1935), "An operation is the performance which we execute in order to make known a concept." F ...
(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
A signal generator is one of a class of electronic devices that generates electrical signals with set properties of amplitude, frequency, and wave shape. These generated signals are used as a stimulus for electronic measurements, typically used i ...
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 system. The transmitted and received pulses are controlled in time by the PMW (Pulse Modulated Wave) radar design, and the waveguide
duplexer
A duplexer is an electronic device that allows bi-directional ( duplex) communication over a single path. In radar and radio communications systems, it isolates the receiver from the transmitter while permitting them to share a common antenna. M ...
assembly. Internal to the antenna are Uniphaser Assemblies (used for quadrature phase control), Phase Shifters (used of quadrature I/Q data) and
gimbalized 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
