Northrop Grumman Completes Demonstrations of SABR for F-16s

Northrop Grumman recently completed successful demonstrations of its Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) system for the U.S. Air Force’s F-16 upgrade program. SABR is capable of generating synthetic aperture radar (SAR) maps, with automatic target cueing ability, similar to the active electronically scanned array sets on Lockheed Martin’s F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft.

 

 

(F-16. Photo, courtesy of Lockheed Martin.)

 

The system is designed to provide the “sharpest radar images ever” for an F-16 pilot, according to Northrop Grumman. 

 

“This advance will give F-16 pilots the largest maps with the most detail that they have ever seen in the cockpit. Combined with SABR’s automatic target cueing capability, the F-16 will have targeting capabilities unmatched by any other fourth-generation fighter,” said Joseph Ensor, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman’s intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting systems division.