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A recent (08.05.2007) Aviation Week article regarding the Japan/F-22 debate stated that an F-15C with a (v)3 AESA... "would have a larger radar aperture than the F-22. As a result, in the defensive, anti-cruise missile role, the Eagle would have an advantage in detecting smaller objects at longer range because of its additional power and size."

Now I'm no expert but surely the author is mistaken and or not properly informed?

Entire Quote And Article

Quote:

That shift would add another option to the decision about a new fighter for the Japanese air force. F-15s equipped with AESA would have a larger radar aperture than the F-22. As a result, in the defensive, anti-cruise missile role, the Eagle would have an advantage in detecting smaller objects at longer range because of its additional power and size.

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Elite 1K Joined: May 26, 2005 Posts: 1152

Maybe, at least until (if?) the F-22 gets the wing root arrays.

You can always try and "do it in software", but the raw signal would be better the larger the antenna. Of course you could say the E-8 "would have an advantage in detecting smaller objects at longer range...", but that don't make it the better fighter. Very Happy

Not an expert here and I'm sure this is the kind of what Gums calls "nuke-u-lar" question, but I believe what the article means is that the APG-64 (v)3 has some additional qualities over the Raptor's radar that Raptor doesn't need because of its other more advanced sensors. Unless the article is really bad written, one cannot assume that it says APG-64 (v)3 > APG-77, since it gives only a part of the radar being "more powerful" (and not necessarily "better"). With a bit of thought and the published capabilities of the Raptor, one can assume how the Raptor with the "less powerful" (if it implies that) APG-77 can overcome that.

Besides, it's AvLeak, and while things can go wrong, I think someone from there should have picked such a big error if it was indeed a big error. Smile

I was under the impression that the AN/APG-77 was not only physically bigger but that it featured more modules. And I cannot see where this "additional power" comes from unless the F-15 is capable of more kW output...

Elite 1K Joined: Jul 26, 2005 Posts: 1455 Status: Offline

I think it has been widely reported that the APG-77 has been "de-tuned" to help the Raptor to become less detectable. Ie, the radar`s power output has been brought down significantly.

The F-15 isn`t low observable so there wouldn`t be much advantage in a lower power output I think.

Elite 1K Joined: Jul 22, 2005 Posts: 1089 Status: Offline

PhillyGuy wrote:

A recent (08.05.2007) Aviation Week article regarding the Japan/F-22 debate stated that an F-15C with a (v)3 AESA... "would have a larger radar aperture than the F-22. As a result, in the defensive, anti-cruise missile role, the Eagle would have an advantage in detecting smaller objects at longer range because of its additional power and size."

Now I'm no expert but surely the author is mistaken and or not properly informed?

Entire Quote And Article

Quote:

That shift would add another option to the decision about a new fighter for the Japanese air force. F-15s equipped with AESA would have a larger radar aperture than the F-22. As a result, in the defensive, anti-cruise missile role, the Eagle would have an advantage in detecting smaller objects at longer range because of its additional power and size.

Link

Somebody somewhere down the line seems to have gotten a few things confused. At one point the V3 was going to go into the F-15C and the V4 or APG-77 with more modules would go into the F-15E. It was the F-15E's possible APG-77 with more modules that was suppose to be superior to the one in the F-22 simply because the bigger nose allows more modules which means more power/detection range. Have never heard the V3 is anything like the APG-77 in capability.

Enthusiast Joined: Nov 27, 2003 Posts: 35 Status: Offline

Ok. Do we know the exact nose cone diameter/antenna surface of F15/F22. I guess F-15 has room for a bigger (and fixed!) antenna (aperture).

Lajes

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Forum: F-22A Raptor

F-15 (v)3 AESA More Capable And Advanced Than AN/APG-77(v)1?