Collins Aerospace, a unit of Raytheon Technologies and a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry, has introduced the TCN-500 / AN/ARN-153(V) Advanced Digital TACAN Receiver-Transmitter. It has been field tested and proven over many years and on multiple platforms and is the latest technology airborne Receiver-Transmitter (RT) component of the Tactical Airborne Navigation (TACAN) system.
The TCN-500 RT has a Tx frequency range from 1025 to 1150 MHz, an Rx frequency range from 962 to 1213 MHz and provides coverage up to 390 nautical miles. It measures the slant-range distance and relative bearing to a selected ground station or an airborne beacon and computes velocity and time-to-go to that station. An optional configuration measures slant-range distance to up to three selected ground stations for RHO-RHO or DME-DME area navigation.
The AN/ARN-153(V) supports four modes of operation: receive mode, transmit-receive mode, air-to-air receive mode and air-to-air transmit-receive mode. When used with the optional 938Y-1 rotating antenna and a control unit, the system also provides bearing to an air-to-air TACAN that is transmitting an unmodulated squitter, as well as bearing to DME-only ground stations.
Features and Benefits of the TCN-500/AN/ARN-153(V) Include:
- Digital A-1553 outputs for both distance and bearing
- Range: 390 nautical miles
- Solid-state, 500-watt transmitter
- Drop in" ARN-118 replacement when used with appropriate retrofit mount
- Pilot selectable (manual or A-1553) air-to-air range ratio capability
- Three-DME-station tracking capability
- TACAN-550 available as a "beaconing" transmitter function
The TCN-500 / AN/ARN-153(V) has a robust interface design which supports a variety of digital and analog interfaces simultaneously. Digital interfaces include dual MIL-STD-1553B buses and ARINC 429, 568 or 582 buses providing range, bearing, frequency, velocity and time to station.
Click here to learn more about the TCN-500/AN/ARN-153(V) Advanced Digital TACAN Receiver-Transmitter.
