Air Force asks Raytheon to build digital radar warning receiver for allied electronic warfare (EW)
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – U.S. Air Force airborne electronic warfare (EW) are looking to Raytheon Co. to provide AN/ALR-69A(V) digitalradar warning receiver systems for foreign military sales to U.S. allies.
Officials of the electronic warfare branch of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., announced a $90 million five-year contract Monday to the Raytheon Self Protect Systems segment in Goleta, Calif., to build AN/ALR-69A digital radar warning receiver systems necessary to support foreign military sales production.
The ALR-69A all-digital radar warning receiver is designed to enhance aircrew survivability and situational awareness by warning the crew of the presence of enemy search and missile-targeting radar.
The system is being tested on the F-16 jet fighter, and is being installed on the U.S. Air Force C-130H utility turboprop aircraft and KC-46A aerial refueling aircraft. The ALR-69A is compatible with virtually any aircraft, Raytheon officials say.
Related: Raytheon producing radar warning receiver systems for Air Force
The system can suppress enemy air defenses, provides enhanced spectral and spatial coverage for high-sensitivity detection in dense signal environments, and offers single-ship geolocation. This contract calls for Raytheon to build, test, and deliver line-replaceable units and shop-replaceable units.
The ALR-69A(V) uses advanced broadband digital receiver technology and an open architecture design, which enables cross-platform commonality, improved spectral and spatial coverage, and integration with other electronic countermeasures or radar systems.
The system relies on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components to enable expansion or upgrades. The 16-channel broadband receiver can be reconfigured to support future applications, and as data converter technology continues to improve, users can boost response time and dynamic range by replacing a digital circuit card.
Extra, pre-wired card slots enable interfaces to any electronic countermeasure or radar system, Raytheon officials say.
Related: Digital receivers power a new generation of electronic warfare
Without any hardware modifications, the ALR-69A(V) can offer aircrews single-ship geolocation capability to help determine the direction of the arrival of the threat signals.
This added capability enables the ALR-69A to assist with targeting solutions while continuing to identify threats in dense signal environments.
On this contract Raytheon will do the work in Goleta, Calif., and in Forest, Miss., and should be finished by May 2023. For more information contact Raytheon Self-Protect Systems online at www.raytheon.com, or the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force base, at www.robins.af.mil/Units/AFLCMC.
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John Keller | Editor
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
