Air Force taps Northrop Grumman for color radar transmitter processors for radar signal processing on C-130
WARNER ROBINS, Ga. – U.S. Air Force radar experts needed low-power color radar transmitter processors for the AN/APN-241 weather-detection and navigation radar systems aboard Air Force C-130 four-engine utility aircraft. They found a solution from Northrop Grumman Corp.
Officials of the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency Aviation segment in Warner Robins, Ga., announced a $45.5 million sole-source contract last week to the Northrop Grumman Advanced Aeronautics Systems segment in Warner Robins, Ga., for low-power color radar transmitter processors.
Low-power color radar systems like the Northrop Grumman AN/APN-241 use specialized transmitter and receiver-transmitter processors to manage signal generation, reception, and processing.
Low-power operation
These processors help the radar operate reliably at low power settings, and can operate with much lower power consumption than earlier generations, such as those in the AN/APN-59 radar.
The Northrop Grumman AN/APN-241 airborne radar aboard C-130 utility aircraft uses a low-power color radar system to generate radar signals for transmitting, and ensures precise waveform reproduction using sophisticated signal processing on the received signal.
The receiver-transmitter processor manages radar signal reception and transmission, and handles amplifying and processing the received signal after detection. Signal processing separates targets from clutter, and digitizes signals after amplification and detection.
Related: Technology comes to bear on radar and sonar
The AN/APN-241 tactical transport radar system offers high-resolution ground mapping, windshear detection, enhanced all-weather navigation, and all-weather formation flying.
The radar can predict windshear during takeoff and landing, and is part of the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) to upgrade C-130 avionics suite.
On this contract, Northrop Grumman will do the work in Warner Robins, Ga., and should be finished by December 2027. For more information contact Northrop Grumman Advanced Aeronautics online at www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/air, or the Defense Logistics Agency-Warner Robins at www.dla.mil/Distribution/Locations/Warner-Robins.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
