Will the F-35 Block 4 get a new radar? Apg-85

[jessmo112]

I noticed this in an article, and this is the 1st I've heard of the APG-85

Another $921 million on the list would add seven more F-35As to the Air Force’s procurement request for 2023, bringing the total procurement up to 40. These would be Block 4 F-35As with the APG-85 radar from Lot 17.

The Air Force did not include F-35As on its unfunded priorities list last year, when it procured 48 of the fighters.
Q

I know years ago they discussed Big SAR in the F-35. Is this it?

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2022/04 ... wish-list/

Is this a typo or does Block 4 get a new radar?

[ricnunes]

I'm pretty sure it's a typo.

[spazsinbad]

I noticed this in an article, and this is the 1st I've heard of the APG-85/...
https://www.defensenews.com/air/2022/04 ... wish-list/
...Is this a typo or does Block 4 get a new radar?

Did you read the sarcastic comments about this article TYPO/Howler earlier here: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=58418&p=467083&hilit=Compass#p467083

[ricnunes]

It seems that there's indeed an "APG-85":
https://www.cutsew.com/APG-85_p_5953.html

[ruderamronbo]

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2022/12 ... gn=air-dnr

"The service said then that the additional fighters would be Block 4 F-35As from Lot 17, with the APG-85 radar. Lawmakers now appear inclined to grant most — but not all — of that request."

[jessmo112]

f9dca823570d51c1ffea3fbb4b72cc4f.jpg (11.11 KiB) Viewed 247332 times

Far be it from me to be a petty individual and go on about crow eating, BUT do to the sarcasm in this thread.

I'll let her rip

[charlielima223]

Dont start serving it just yet.

Media reporting even with defense reporting sites tend to do "monkey see monkey do". There has been no prior or further reporting ever since "APG-85" was mentioned. Many places often take a report from one site and link it to their own. Further more if a new fighter radar is being developed for the F-35 which is a high priority and very visible defense program, dont you think that by now Northrop Grumman or Raytheon, the two largest developers for US Defense radar systems; dont you think they would have mentioned or reported about developing a new fighter radar by now?

So keep your crow in the refridgerator for now or just throw it out. Until a company comes out and says they're developing a new AESA radar called the "APG-85", I wont take mentioning of "APG-85" with any real seriousness.

[zaphod58]

So this makes it more interesting.

[steve2267]

Mmmmm..... Naah, I don't think so. Some staffer makes a typo, people cut-and-paste all the time + fail to proof read.

[viperzerof-2]

GaN T/R modules? J/APG-2 and APG-79(v)4 have them.


https://www.mod.go.jp/atla/research/dts ... f/R6-1.pdf

They built a test bed for their future technology that was flown in an F-2 in 2019 and they have studied implementing it into the J/APG-2 (J/APG-3?)

http://hitomaru10.livedoor.blog/archives/18290851.html

They made an interesting claim

Reder detection performance is 1.5 times higher than that of the 5th generation aircraft in other countries
※It is unclear which 5th generation aircraft is the standard.

So perhaps it’s simply time for the APG-81 to get upgraded.

[charlielima223]

How come Raytheon or Northrop Grumman haven't announced it? You'd think for a new radar for the largest fighter program would garner more attention

[Corsair1963]

F-35 Will Get New Radar Under Massive Upgrade Initiative

The new AN/APG-85 advanced active electronically scanned array radar will be compatible with all variants of the new Block 4 F-35s.

After a mysterious radar designation emerged online in news stories about the F-35 Lightning II program, the internet quickly began debating whether it was a typo or a new capability altogether. Now, The War Zone has official confirmation that the fifth-generation stealth fighter will, in fact, be getting a new radar designated as the AN/APG-85.

One of the first mentions of the AN/APG-85 appeared in a Defense News article published in April of last year. Reporter Stephen Losey noted that $921 million had been added to the U.S. Air Force’s wishlist for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY2023) to procure seven more “Block 4 F-35As with the APG-85 radar from Lot 17.” Then, in a separate article authored last December, Losey wrote of the radar again in the same context. The references were later highlighted and questioned by the @MIL_STD Twitter account.

The War Zone reached out to both the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) and Lockheed Martin, for any information about this puzzling new designation. While we’re still waiting to hear back from Lockheed Martin, the JPO did respond and offered what they could without revealing classified details.

“The U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps are jointly developing and integrating an advanced radar for the F-35 Lightning II, which is capable of defeating current and projected adversarial air and surface threats,” said the F-35 JPO. “This advanced radar will be compatible with all variants of the F-35 aircraft.”

To clarify whether this meant that all F-35 A/B/C variants from all blocks would be compatible with the new radar or if only Block 4 A/B/C variants would be, The War Zone followed up with the JPO. Their response explained that the AN/APG-85 is currently slated to be installed only on all Block 4 A/B/C jets. This would also line up with Air Force FY2023 unfunded priority list presentation slides, cited by @MIL_STD on Twitter as well, that make note of the radar along with the same aforementioned Block 4 F-35 procurement effort.

(FULL STORY HERE)

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/f ... initiative

[jessmo112]

f9dca823570d51c1ffea3fbb4b72cc4f.jpg (11.11 KiB) Viewed 237075 times

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/f-35-will-get-new-radar-under-massive-upgrade-initiative

[magitsu]

Yeah, there's plenty of crow eating to be had. Very rare that the forum consensus gets so thoroughly trounced.
But new radar is the right kind of reason for eating humble pie. Possibly as significant as the engine upgrade.

Plenty of interesting questions. For example how unwillingly are some partners buying the last not APG-85 versions (upgrade costs vs. straight into new).

[ricnunes]

Well, I guess I have to eat a nice and delicious crow! Is it better served roasted or fried?

Anyway thanks for the info and congrats on the finding! This was indeed an elusive one.