Boeing and Air Force officials on Monday celebrated in Jacksonville, Fla., the rollout of the first Air National Guard F-15C fighter upgraded with Raytheon’s APG-63(V)3 advanced electronically scanned array radar system. The Florida Air Guard’s 125th Fighter Wing at Jacksonville is the first unit to receive the new radar, which is considered 50 times more reliable than the mechanically scanned antenna it replaces and far more capable. In fact, it “will greatly improve” F-15 pilots’ situational awareness, beyond-visual-range targeting, weapon accuracy, and ability to find and track small targets at low altitude, said Jim Means, director of Boeing’s proprietary global strike programs. The Air Force intends to install AESA radars on the 176 F-15C/Ds that it plans to maintain at least out to 2025. USAF F-15Es are getting the new radar under a separate initiative. (Boeing release) (For more, see Jacksonville’s WJXT New Channel 4 report.)
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.