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| Airman assigned to the 140th AMXS guides F-16C block 30 #86-0370 from the 120th FS prior to a training mission in support of an ORE at Buckley AFB on January 20th, 2012. [USAF photo by TSgt. Wolfram M. Stumpf] |
"We need to develop an AESA radar plan for our F-16s who are conducting the homeland defense mission in particular," Welsh told the House Armed Services Committee. "Our entire fleet – active, Guard and Reserve – none of them have been upgraded with that radar."
The service estimates it would spend $3.2 million per aircraft to install an integrated AESA radar.
"We think that's the way to go," Welsh said. "We're looking now at how we can do that as we move forward."
First Air Force: Upgraded F-16s needed urgently
First Air Force, the numbered Air Force with the sole responsibility of ensuring air superiority and air sovereignty of the U.S., recently filed an "urgent operational need" request with the Air Force Requirements Council for fiscal 2015 funding for its Aerospace Control Alert mission, Air Force Times has learned.
The request, specifically for Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Block 30 F-16s, seeks the installation of the Northrop Grumman APG-83 SABR active electronically scanned array radar. This radar was part of the combat avionics program extension suite that the Air Force dropped from its fiscal 2015 and 2016 budget requests both because of budget shortfalls.
SABR optimizes radar system performance within existing power and cooling allocations of legacy F-16s worldwide and will make these F-16 fleets relevant for decades to come. SABR began flying in 2008 and continues to build an unmatched record of successful "firsts" with flight demonstrations now including proven performance in advanced combat-relevant tests.
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