Love the Mustang and the Phantom..

BIO, I think you are mistaken here – check previous threads, and you’ll see that for the LPI capability is not some inherent feature of AESA itself, you need to have a radar architecture to support it. What the APG-79 can do is have multiple channels (which its brochure shows), now each of those can support a group of AESA modules each group operating at a particular frequency and allocated to a specific task. But it cannot just keep jumping across a range of different frequencies at differing powers (power managed spread spectrum transmission) & then recombine the above to produce a LPI picture of the entire zone.

So, is there a source saying that the -79 and 63 series have LPI? There are sources saying so for the APG-77, but not for the 79/63, correct me if I am wrong.

I just saw the 79 brochure, doesnt seem like any LPI design to me? Seems exactly like a conventional radar, albeit with AESA antenna..

What a ripoff! :p

I am not saying it will be easy or will happen overnight, but that it can be done. The fact is that for most opponents of the US, digital RWR capability is a long shot away. And even apart from that, how do you lock onto the F-22 and fire? Its stealth, at least frontal (from GAO report) ensures that even the best Active AAMs are practically useless unless they are right next to it in a manner of speaking, as if the F-22 will allow its opponent to happily shoot it, or for that matter wait for an AAM to come close to it (supercruise crank exists for a reason, right?)

I think the operation is pretty much known. Use AWACs/ ALR-94 for info and fire. Or if operating without AWACs, and your opponent is similarly passive and relying on his own AEW/ GCI, you use the LPI radar in a quick spot mode at max range (RWS/ VS) get a quick look, sneak up, fire up LPI radar again and then shoot. Just a couple of squawks. Or have your constant emitter located far away (120nm detection in LPI range!!!) and datalink its info to nearby F-22s…eitherways the advantage is with you…if the enemy knows the F-22s are in the area and runs away, you have still won.

I meant the LPI. The 77 is a true multi frequency spread spectrum radar which can recombine multiple inputs from Transmitted signals at different frequencies @low power, the kind the other two arent! They basically appear to be upgrades of conventional radars, with only the front end antenna changed for a modular AESA array. The 63 V(3) for instance brochure shows exactly that. The 79 is newer, but it too does not appear to field LPI capabilities.

Digital RWRs can detect LPI, software programmed to analyze incoming radiation & detect LPI signals/ patterns.

http://www.india-defence.com/reports/2124

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force is readying ground facilities to support the Phalcon airborne early warning and control aircraft it bought from Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) two years ago for around $ 1.1 billion.

Sources said work had begun at the IAF bases in Chandigarh and Bareily, where the first of the Phalcons, scheduled to arrive in Nov 2007 will be based. It is expected to formally enter service in early 2008.

Another AEW&C aircraft, an IAI-built Phalcon ‘air-eye’ radar mounted on Uzbek IL 76 TD transport aircraft, is due in August 2008 followed by the third in early 2009.

The ground infrastructure to accommodate the Phalcons is estimated to cost over $30 million, including hangars, maintenance facilities, workshops and technical training schools, sources said.

According to armament industry sources, the Phalcons will be equipped with L-band active phased array radar mounted on a stationary radome developed by Raytheon Airborne Systems.

They will also be equipped with a maximum of eight, multi-function operator consoles with 20-inch active matrix liquid crystal displays from BARCO of Belgium and two electronic counter measure/electronic intelligence operators posts. This would render the aircraft an airborne network -centric battle management platform in addition to its basic airborne early warning functions.

India’s military is concentrating on honing its network centric war fighting capabilities to develop an integrated real time command, control communications, co-ordination intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance. The Phalcons will constitute an integral component of this potential, military planners said.

The IAF is likely to exercise its option of acquiring two additional Phalcon AEW&C systems in order to expand its ‘operational envelope’ in the region and to deal with out of area exigencies. It is expected to firm up the order sometime next year.

Another reason for IAF bolstering its air reconnaissance capabilities is the ongoing talks between nuclear rival Pakistan and Sweden for seven AEW&C systems based on a Erieye radar and sensor suite by Ericsson Microwave Systems, all mounted on used Saab 2000 aircraft.