Air Force V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to receive special forces Silent Knight terrain-avoiding radar

PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md. – The U.S. Naval Air System Command V-­22 Joint Program Office (PMA­275), which manages the Osprey program for all the U.S. services, has contracted Raytheon to integrate its next-generation multi-mode K-band AN/APQ­-187 Silent Knight radar onto the Air Force's 52 Bell­-Boeing CV­-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. Aviation International News reports. Continue reading original article

The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:

19 Feb. 2019 -- The U.S. Air Force uses these aircraft for special forces support, clandestine personnel insertion and extraction, combat search and rescue, and tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel missions.

These duties require the Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to be able to penetrate enemy airspace at low level in any weather conditions, using terrain-following radar to allow flight as low as 100 feet, and with a sophisticated navigation system, including a digital color moving map, three INS systems, and GPS, allowing the crew to navigate even in complete darkness.

Originally designed specifically for tiltrotor and helicopter applications, Silent Knight provides terrain-following/terrain-avoidance capability, providing the pilot with high-resolution terrain maps as well as climb or dive commands.

Related: Raytheon continues building terrain-following radar to infiltrate enemy territory

Related: Lockheed Martin continues project to equip Special Forces C-130J with terrain-following radar

Related: Boeing to build four more MH-47G heavy-lift helicopters and avionics for Special Operations Command

John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics

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