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Raytheon tapped for Super Hornet, Growler radar upgrades

By Ryan Maass
Raytheon's upgrade contract supports aircraft operated by the Australian armed forces. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brianna Bowens
Raytheon's upgrade contract supports aircraft operated by the Australian armed forces. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brianna Bowens

March 24 (UPI) -- Raytheon received a $17.8 million contract to upgrade radars used on F/A-18 and EA-18G aircraft operated by the U.S. Navy and the Australian air force.

The AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar is already in full-rate production for both armed forces. According to Raytheon, the device allows radar beams to be steered at close to the speed of light, resulting in enhanced situational awareness and improved air-to-air and air-to-surface combat capabilities.

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Work on the contract will be performed at various locations in California, Mississippi and Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by March 2021.

Raytheon received all funding at the time of the award, which includes foreign military sales for the government of Australia. The project will be managed by the Naval Air Systems Command in Maryland.

The F/A-18 Super Hornet and the EA-18G Growler are two Boeing-made fighters based on the legacy F-18 design. The Super Hornet is a twin-engine, supersonic jet typically integrated with carrier strike groups.

The Growler is fitted for electronic warfare missions, and is capable of providing electronic protections for allied craft while jamming enemy communications and radar detection.

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