The recent U.S. DOD DOTE 2013 report on the APG-79 AESA radar in the Super Hornet Block II builds on other previous reports.
That is, that the radar is not performing to expectations.
The Navy has not yet addressed long-standing deficiencies with the APG-79 AESA radar. As stated in the FY12 Annual Report, the AESA demonstrated marginal improvements during FOT&E from prior testing and provides improved performance relative to the legacy APG-73 radar. However, operational testing has yet to demonstrate a statistically significant difference in mission accomplishment between F/A-18E/F aircraft equipped with AESA and those equipped with the legacy radar.
AESAs are supposed have less maintenance than mechanical radars. That is one of their other big selling points.
Too bad the APG-79 has not demonstrated that thus far. From the 2013 DOTE:
Though aircraft software has demonstrated acceptable suitability, the continued poor reliability of the AESA radar appears to be a result of software instability. The radar’s reliability and poor built-in test (BIT) performance remain deficient.
This is what NAVAIR preached some years ago.
(Footprint: APG-73 vs. APG-79---click to make image larger)
Timeline:
The APG-79 radar completed formal operational evaluation (OPEVAL) testing in December 2006.
***Around this time, based only on Powerpoint slides and no robust analysis, then Australian Defence Minister Nelson, cons the government to hand over money for 24 Block II Super Hornets. The justification after the fact was based on F-35 delivery delay. Where, only a month before, a top flag officer briefed elected officials that if there was any more delay to the F-35 program, legacy Hornets could be refurbished and F-111s could keep flying for more years. Later, Defence also started more lying about F-111 risk. that did not exist, in order to provide cover for the Super Hornet purchase. Up to the time of Nelson's decision, Defence had not done any analysis on Super Hornet capability or if it even was a good fit into future RAAF operations.***
As of January 2007 the radar was installed in 28 aircraft; some were experiencing software problems but that issue was expected to be resolved by the end of fiscal year 2007.
As of July 2008, Raytheon had delivered 100 APG-79 sets to the Navy; on 3 June 2008, the Navy received the first APG-79-equipped EA-18G Growler. The Navy expects to order approximately 400 production radars.
In January 2013, the Director of Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) disclosed a long history of problems for the APG-79 radar in ini operational testing.
• DOT&E reported on APG-79 radar IOT&E [initial operational test and evaluation] in FY07, assessing it as not operationally effective or suitable due to significant deficiencies in tactical performance, reliability, and BIT functionality.
• The Navy conducted APG-79 radar FOT&E [follow-on test and evaluation] in FY09 in conjunction with SCS H4E SQT. The Navy’s Commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force subsequently reported that significant deficiencies remained for both APG-79 AESA performance and suitability; DOT&E concurred with this assessment.
• The APG-79 AESA radar demonstrated marginal improvements since the previous FOT&E period and provides improved performance relative to the legacy APG-73 radar. However, operational testing does not demonstrate a statistically significant difference in mission accomplishment between F/A-18E/F aircraft equipped with AESA and those equipped with the legacy radar.
• Full development of AESA electronic warfare capability remains deferred to later software builds.
No date was predicted for the F/A-18 E/F Hornet's APG-79 radar reaching an operationally suitable status.
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PDF report here:
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