AN 79 AESA problems?

kman39ca · by **kman39ca** » 01 Apr 2015, 21:56

Just trying to get to the truth with some stuff I've been reading. I like to come here to get the truth, cause there is so much mis info out there.
My question is a certain "Blogger" is saying that An apg 79 radar is actually less reliable than older non AESA radars... Any help in debunking or just getting a true answer from ppl with real knowledge here would help. Thanks in advance...

pron · by **pron** » 01 Apr 2015, 23:12

Look like there are software problems.
The AN/APG-79 has a downside, however, and it’s a big one. Pentagon testing reports consistently cite software problems with the APG-79, including instability and issues with its Built-In Test (BIT) functions.

basher54321 · by **basher54321** » 01 Apr 2015, 23:35

Probably taken from the DOTE reports.

neurotech · by **neurotech** » 02 Apr 2015, 07:11

kman39ca wrote:Just trying to get to the truth with some stuff I've been reading. I like to come here to get the truth, cause there is so much mis info out there.
My question is a certain "Blogger" is saying that An apg 79 radar is actually less reliable than older non AESA radars... Any help in debunking or just getting a true answer from ppl with real knowledge here would help. Thanks in advance...

Nope. The older radars fail physically more often. Why do you think most of the block I jets had their radar upgraded?

The APG-79 sometimes have BIT failures and software glitches occur, but in terms of reliability, overall they a major improvement. Some of the BIT failures involve components that are basically common to both the APG-73 and APG-79, so saying the non-AESA version is more reliable is misguided.

During the early days of the APG-79, the OT&E reports describe software issues that were actually "carried over" from the non-AESA APG-73. OT&E reports are usually quite negative in their tone, which leads to misreporting in the media.

Next thing we'll read about "Navy F/A-18 damaged by hail after flying too close to a thunderstorm, F-35 will be upgraded to fly into hailstorms to sustain similar damage"

hornetfinn · by **hornetfinn** » 02 Apr 2015, 09:12

I think this is also good place to put this: https://ericpalmer.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/nmarler_apg79aesa.pdf

According to this, AN/APG-79 has roughly an order of magnitude better reliability than AN/APG-73, which itself is quite reliable for MSA radar.

I think it's all relative. Even if AESA radar has ten times the overall reliability compared to MSA radar it replaces, it might still fall short in some specific area (like power supply unit) from the target. Also AESA radars require large amount of software and associated computer hardware to run as it's basically thousands of individual radars that must be controlled to work as a single radar unit. This is definitely not easy to do and can easily be the most problematic part of the whole system.

discofishing · by **discofishing** » 27 Apr 2015, 05:07

kman39ca wrote:Just trying to get to the truth with some stuff I've been reading. I like to come here to get the truth, cause there is so much mis info out there.
My question is a certain "Blogger" is saying that An apg 79 radar is actually less reliable than older non AESA radars... Any help in debunking or just getting a true answer from ppl with real knowledge here would help. Thanks in advance...

Before I begin, I'd like to say "hello" to all of the foreign intelligence services that monitor this site working for communist regimes. Karl Marx had it wrong. Open your eyes.

Lets be honest here. Anyone with REAL knowledge isn't going to say much. Based on publicly available information, the APG-82 which is going to replace the APG-70 in the F-15E is based on the F-18E's APG-79. If the APG-79 was so horrible, why is much of the technology going to find itself in another aircraft in a different service? APG-63V3 radars are already operating in the FMS variants of the Strike Eagle. Why didn't the USAF go for an APG-63V3 variant? They are flying on F-15Cs.There must be a reason. That reason probably doesn't involve the APG-79 being a unreliable. Furthermore, APG-79 technology is the basis for Raytheon's RACR, which may replace APG-65 and APG-73 radars in some Super and Legacy Hornets. If it was unreliable, why would there be such a push to link to the APG-79 pedigree? Lets put two and two together here.

http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/apg82v1/

sergei · by **sergei** » 27 Apr 2015, 15:06

discofishing wrote:
kman39ca wrote:Just trying to get to the truth with some stuff I've been reading. I like to come here to get the truth, cause there is so much mis info out there.
My question is a certain "Blogger" is saying that An apg 79 radar is actually less reliable than older non AESA radars... Any help in debunking or just getting a true answer from ppl with real knowledge here would help. Thanks in advance...

Before I begin, I'd like to say "hello" to all of the foreign intelligence services that monitor this site working for communist regimes. Karl Marx had it wrong. Open your eyes.

Lets be honest here. Anyone with REAL knowledge isn't going to say much. Based on publicly available information, the APG-82 which is going to replace the APG-70 in the F-15E is based on the F-18E's APG-79. If the APG-79 was so horrible, why is much of the technology going to find itself in another aircraft in a different service? APG-63V3 radars are already operating in the FMS variants of the Strike Eagle. Why didn't the USAF go for an APG-63V3 variant? They are flying on F-15Cs.There must be a reason. That reason probably doesn't involve the APG-79 being a unreliable. Furthermore, APG-79 technology is the basis for Raytheon's SABR, which may replace APG-65 and APG-73 radars in some Super and Legacy Hornets. If it was unreliable, why would there be such a push to link to the APG-79 pedigree? Lets put two and two together here.

http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/apg82v1/

Greed developers.