Boeing has selected Raytheon to upgrade the radar for B-52 bomber planes. Under the contract, Raytheon will design, develop, produce and sustain active electronically scanned array radar systems for the entire U.S. Air Force B-52 fleet. The advanced radar upgrade will ensure the aircraft remains mission ready through 2050 and beyond. Low rate initial production is scheduled to begin in 2024.
With AESA radar on board, the B-52 will gain improved navigation reliability to support nuclear and conventional missions. Raytheon's B-52 radar is based on AESA technologies developed from the APG-79/APG-82 radar family. The B-52 will also benefit from improved mapping and detection range and an increase in the number of targets it can simultaneously engage. Along with improved capabilities that help crews see further and more accurately, Raytheon's AESA radar offers greater reliability than the current system because it has no moving parts and uses modern operating software.
According to Raytheon, its active electronically scanned array (AESA) systems, with game-changing performance and tactical advantages, are the cornerstone of current and future aircrafts. Providing incomparable detection, targeting, tracking, and self-protection capabilities, the AESA systems are yet another hallmark in the company’s evolving development of innovative radars in support of the warfighters. The Raytheon AESA radar family may be tailored to fit any platform's size, space and requirements.
