First of its Kind – Raytheon’s Radar Warning Receiver

First of its Kind – Raytheon’s Radar Warning Receiver

radar warning receiver

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Raytheon demonstrated, in a recent flight test, a geolocation capability for the ALR-69A(V), a first for any radar warning receiver.

According to the company’s website, the AN/ALR-69A(V) is the world’s first all-digital radar warning receiver. The system enhances aircrew survivability, providing “sensors forward” situational awareness at lower costs than competing systems through simple software modifications.

“Adding single-ship geolocation capability to a radar warning receiver transforms the way pilots execute their missions,” said Paul Overstreet, program manager, Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. “The ALR-69A can now assist with targeting solutions while continuing to identify threats in dense signal environments.”

Geolocation capabilities offer aircrews more options, allowing pilots to decide whether to maneuver to avoid the threat or to prosecute it. Before this added geolocation capability, aircrews only had an approximate direction of the arrival of the threat signals. The new system now provides aircrews precise information on ground-based threat locations and precision-direction finding for airborne threats.

The system provides improved detection range and accurate, unambiguous identification in dense signal environments comprised of both threat signals and those from wingmen, coalition partners and commercial operations.

Its 360-degree coverage is provided by four independent Radar Receivers, each covering one quadrant of the aircraft.

The modular, open architecture relies on many commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components that allow for ready expansion or upgrade.

The ALR-69A(V) is installed on the U.S. Air Force C-130H, KC-46A and is being tested on the F-16.