Longbow to upgrade Apache radar
Longbow has been awarded an $89.8 million contract by the US Army to upgrade the Apache helicopter’s Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR), Lockheed Martin announced on 13 July. Longbow is a joint venture of Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.
The contract includes the manufacturing of 84 Radar Electronics Units (REUs) and software upgrades.
The FCR allows Apache aircrew to automatically detect, locate, classify and prioritise targets as well as carry out multi-target engagement in all weather conditions, over multiple terrains and through battlefield obscurants.
Two FCR electronics boxes are replaced by the REU to reduce overall system weight, size, maintenance and power requirements. The REU also provides the FCR with increased processing capability to support new software features in development.
Jim Messina, Longbow president and director of Longbow programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said: ‘The Longbow FCR’s REU reduces size, weight and power requirements and increases reliability over the legacy system allowing for better support of US Army aviation requirements.’
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