AN/APG-66

A Fighter Pilot's Radar

A Perfect Complement to the F-16 Fighting Falcon

High performance, mulfimode radar Head-up, hands-on operation Long range, all-aspect detection Low target false alarm rate Good inherent raid resolution Comprehensive ECCM High resolution ground mapping Quick, easy maintenance Low cost Consistent operational reliability

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A Fighter Pilot's Radar

To see in bad weather... to search beyond visual range... the APG - 66 Radar helps the F-16 pilot detect... track... and destroy. Designed in harmony with the F-16 avionics system, this radar provides easy one-man operation. It allows the pilot to keep a head-up, hands-on posture, thereby giving maximum attention to the target. It's truly a fighter pilot's radar. The Westinghouse APG-66 Radar is a coherent, multi-mode digital fire control sensor designed to complement the air superiority and strike roles of the F-16 Multimission Fighter. Smaller, lighter, and less expensive than previous fighter radars, it provides all-weather air-to-air and air-toground modes with superior dogfight and weapon delivery capabilities. It enhances mission success by detecting and tracking targets at all aspects and all altitudes in spite of the presence of ground clutter. The APG-66 has proven its performance, reliability, and maintainability during extensive USAF operational testing and deployment. All performance requirements have been met or exceeded and the consistency of the radar's operation has elicited praise from pilots. Long range detection capability, high speed multimode automatic acquisition, smooth and precise target tracking and high resolution ground mapping are some of the key features that together with unexcelled aerodynamic features and overall system capability, make the F-16the best fighter in the world. Over 800 APG-66 radars have been produced. High reliability and automatic fault isolation minimize total life cycle cost. Reliability exceeded 70 hours MTBF in the second year of USAF operational use. (Based on Westinghouse field data gathered at Hill AFB in accordance with AFM66-1.) In addition to the United States Air Force, the radar is operational with numerous other free world Air Forces.

Air-To-Air Capability
In the air-to-air role, the APG-66 provides all aspect, all altitude coverage in the following modes of operation. Downlook for search and track below or above the horizon. Four Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) modes for automatic target acquisition in various dogfight engagements. Uplook for search above the horizon. Modes are selected by the pilot on the throttle. side stick controller, and radar control panel, or the aircraft's fire control computer can automatically select a radar mode appropriate to the tactical situation. Auto-acquisition in ACM is manually selected by a single switch on the throttle grip which immediately configures the entire weapon system for a dogfight engagement. In search, the pilot can switch ranges with the cursor control or with the range scale switch. In track, range scale switching is performed automatically. The pilot's desire for constant head - up visual search is thereby preserved to the maximum extent possible. For most air-to-air scenarios, use of the medium PRF Downlook waveform is tactically preferred. Range resolution and accuracy are excellent and insensitivity to target maneuvers guarantees a genuine all aspect capability with consistent tracking performance.

Downlook
Downlook, the primary mode in air-to-air operation, is a medium PRF pulse doppler search and track mode which provides target detection and acquisition even in the presence of clutter. All airborne targets, including those flying close to the ground, are presented on a clutter free display. Principal design features include a very low false alarm rate of less than two per minute and head-on or tail-on detection of fighter size targets at more than 30 nautical miles.

Inherent Situation Awareness

The use of a high peak power transmitter and advanced digital signal processing provides inherent high-range resolution for the discrimination of multiple airborne targets. This superior target sorting capability allows the fighter pilot to more accurately assess an enemy air order of battle prior to engagement and is one of the key features that distinguishes the APG-66 from other fighter radars.

Track Display

Search Display

Range Scale Mode Target Altitude 4,000 Feet MSL Horizon Line Target Symbol (Track) Target Data Block Target's Ground Track Target's CAS Aspect Angle for Intercept Closure Rate

Dogfight
For the close - in fight, the pilot need only depress the "DOGFIGHT" switch on the throttle. As he continues to press the attack, all his efforts can be directed to maneuvering his aircraft since this single head-up action automatically reconfigures the fire control system. In this mode, the radar will scan the 20 x 20 HUD field of view and automatically lock on to the first target it detects within 10 nautical miles. When the engagement involves a high-G maneuver in which the target is ahead in the turn, 10 x 40 ACM is available. Once ACM has been entered depressing the RETURN TO SEARCH switch on the side stick controller extends the antenna's vertical scan coverage to allow target acquisition.
Dogfight 20 x 20" Dogfight 10 x 40

Uplook
Uplook is a low-PRF search mode that increases the radar's detection range capability by 33% in a medium or high altitude clutter free environment.

Uplook

Boresight ACM

Slewable ACM

Boresight ACM
The pencil beam pattern of Boresight ACM is particularly useful in acquiring a specific target within a target cluster. To enter Boresight from any other ACM mode, the pilot depresses the Designate button on the side stick controller. He can move his aircraft nose through the formation to the desired target and then release the Designator button. The narrow beam will automatically acquire and track the intended aircraft.

Slewable ACM
Entered from any ACM mode by depressing the Cursor Control Button on the throttle grip, this mode offers the pilot a significant tactical advan tage when either making a stern conversion or maneuvering in the vertical plane. In an example, two cospeed aircraft are approaching head on with 1600 knots of closure. If both aircraft pull up into the vertical with 8 sustained g's as they pass, then both can generate turn rates in excess of 10 degrees per second. Given equal HUD fields of view, the slewable ACM mode gives the pilot a lock-on opportunity at 40 degrees prior to being within the aggressor's field of view. This affords the pilot as much as four seconds of critical advantage.

Air-To-Surface Capability
When the mission demands precision navigation and accurate weapons delivery, radar ground modes provide an added dimension for success. The total integration of aircraft, radar, and fire control computer consistently demonstrates outstanding results during air-to-surface bombing. The pilot has available seven air-to-surface modes of radar operation. Air-to-Ground Ranging Real Beam Ground Map Expanded Real Beam Map Doppler Beam Sharpening Beacon Sea Surface Search Freeze

Air-To-Ground Ranging (AGR)

The AGR mode provides precision slant range measurement to a designated point on the ground. It is automatically selected when the pilot commands the appropriate weapon delivery modes.

Real Beam Ground Map

The real beam mapping mode provides the pilot with an all-weather, drift and velocity stabilized map of the ground area ahead of his aircraft. Its PPI (Plan Position Indicator) map display is selectable in ranges of 10,20,40 and 80 nmi and scan widths of + 10, + 30, and + 60 degrees. This ground map can be used for navigation fix taking using recognizable landmarks, for detection and location of ground targets, and for direct and offset weapon delivery.

Air-To-Ground Ranging (AGR)

Real Beam Ground Map

Expanded Real Beam Map

Doppler Beam Sharpening

Expanded Real Beam Map

This mode provides a 4:1 map expansion centered about the tracking cursors for each range scale. This feature is available in Ground Map, Beacon, SEA 1, SEA 2, and Freeze. In the Expand mode, the cursors are centered on the display and the map is stationary. If the cursor slew switch is utilized, the map will move on the display under the fixed, centered cursors. The expanded patch can be selected from anywhere within the scan and range limits of the radar. The pilot can utilize this feature to facilitate cursor placement upon the point of interest.

Doppler Beam Sharpening

The pilot can select the Doppler Beam Sharpen ing (DBS) mode when the target is displayed on either the Ground Map (GM) 10 or 20 nautical mile range scales. At these ranges, 2.5 and 5 nmi square patches are respectively displayed. The display format is identical to the Expand mode. Improved azimuth resolution of 8:1 over the Expand mode is available at angles between 15 and 60 degrees off the velocity vector of the aircraft. At angles within 15 degrees of the velocity vector where integration time does not permit superior DBS resolution, the map display resolu tion gracefully reverts to the normal GM resolution. This mode, currently most useful for offset radar bombing and navigation updates, will also give future off-boresight weapons the improved resolution required for precise launch data.

Accurate Weapons Delivery

The integrated avionics system in the F-16 provides excellent weapons delivery capabilities. Whether a target must be attacked visually or by radar bombing, the APG-66 can lead an aircraft to a target area or pinpoint an exact location.

Continuously Computed Impact Point (CCIP) Delivery

In the CCIP delivery mode, radar air-to-ground ranging is utilized for determining the aircraft's height above the target.

Visual Bombing CEP< 65 ft

Radar Provides Slant Range Target

Visually Align Target

"Pop-Up" for Visual Target Acquisition

Lake

Dam

Ground Track

Dive Toss Delivery

The fire control computer uses radar AGR data to compute target elevation in the Dive Toss mode.

Fire Control System Provides HeadUp Steering for Reattack of Target

Radar Provides Slant Range

Pilot Designates Target in HUD

Low Level Navigation with INS

SAM Site

Continuously Computed Release Point (CCRP) Delivery

In the CCRP delivery mode, the ground map modes of the radar provide target designation using direct or offset radar sighting.

Blind Bombing CEP < 140 ft

Return to "Low-Level" and Follow Head-Up Steering to Target

Dam

"Pop-Up" to get Good Radar Picture of OAP then Freeze-Radar Quiet

Low Level Nav

Bridge

Automatic Weapon Release

OAP is Any Point with Known Bearing and Range from Target

Lake

Ground Track

Beacon
The pilot can select a beacon mode which provides both accurate navigation fix taking and offset weapon delivery relative to a ground beacon, or rendezvous with aerial tankers through interrogation of airborne beacons. The coded beacon reply is displayed in PPI format.

Sea Surface Search

The APG-66 Radar detects ships in various sea states using sea surface search modes SEA 1 and SEA 2. Frequency agility techniques are used in SEA 1 to detect stationary and moving ships in sea conditions up to sea state 4. Using a narrow Doppler notch in SEA 2, the radar can detect moving targets in higher sea states. This mode can also provide a moving target indication capability against moving radar-significant ground targets.

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Beacon

Sea Surface Search

Freeze

Freeze
The freeze mode provides quasi-quiet operation for strike mission navigation in both expanded and unexpanded GM, DBS, BCN, and SEA modes. When the Freeze button on the control panel is depressed, the antenna makes one more scan. The radar map produced during this scan is displayed until the Freeze button is depressed again. During the frozen period, the transmitter is off and no tell-tale radar radiation emanates from the aircraft. Aircraft motion, however, continues to be displayed by movement of an aircraft symbol over the map.

Performance Second To None

Since its initial deployment, the APG-66 has undergone continuous evaluation and refinement so that today, it not only meets all requirements, but exceeds most specifications. Operational experience is showing that the radar far outperforms previous systems in critical areas such as very low false alarm rate and reliable detection and tracking. This was amply demonstrated in five years of testing including evaluation in realistic and demanding scenarios such as the fjords and glaciers of Norwaya worst case clutter situation for a pulse Doppler radar. Before the APG-66, false alarms and inconsistent detection problems had been accepted as chronic, unresolvable phenomena. However, through the use of innovative hardware design and extensive digital software control, the Westinghouse APG-66 maintains a very low false alarm rate and can detect, acquire, and track targets that other fire control radars cannot. In addition, the ECCM (electronic countercountermeasures) capability offered through the use of digital signal processing and computer software has been continuously improved so that ECCM features are almost totally automated and the pilot is free to concentrate on his mission. The APG-66 also enhances tactical mission accomplishment when the aircraft is utilized in the strike role. Numerous exercises, as well as an operational readiness inspection, have recorded excellent weapons delivery performance. This performance rivals that of dedicated air-to-ground attack aircraft.

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Functionally Modular Radar

The APG-66 Radar consists of six functional line replaceable units (LRUs). Each LRU has its own self-contained power supply, and all six are organized for autonomy, logical function, minimum interconnection, and ease of maintenance. A digital multiplex bus system provides communications between the radar computer and the other LRUs. The digital signal processor is connected to the radar computer by a dedicated high speed data bus and the other LRUs communicate over a "party line" bus. All radar LRUs, except the control panel, are mounted in the nose of the F-16 aircraft and are accessible from ground level.

Antenna
The planar array antenna, gimballed in two axes, provides high gain and low sidelobes over all scan angles. Its balanced electric drive system is lightweight, highly reliable and easily maintained.

APG-66 Radar Parameters

Volume 3.6ft 3 (.102 m3) Weight 296 lb (134.3 kg) Frequency x band pulse Doppler Reliability 97 hour demonstrated MTBF Maintenance 5 minute flightline MTTR Electronic Parts 9500 Cooling Air cooled at 12 Ib/min Input Power 3580 VA, 400 Hz, 245 Wdc 10,20,40,80nmi Range Scales Elevation Coverage 1, 2, or 4 bar Antenna Azimuth Scan +10, +30, +60 degrees

Low Power RF

Digibus
All radar functions including self-test are controlled by the radar computer via a serial digital data bus called Digibus. Digibus is similar to the F-16 aircraft avionics multiplex bus and interfaces with it through the radar computer. Separate high-speed data buses transfer radar data between the low power RF and the digital signal processor, as well as between the radar computer and the digital signal processor. Standard RS170 video output is provided to the display which can be video recorded for training and mission assessment purposes.

Low Power RF
The low-power radio frequency unit contains a receiver protector, low-noise Field Effect Transistor (FET) amplifier, receiver, analog / digital converters, stable local oscillator (STALO), and the system clock generator. All needed analog processing of the radar return signal is performed in this LRU. The LPRF also provides frequency agility for certain air-to-surface modes.

Transmitter
The transmitter contains an air-cooled traveling wave-tube (TWT), a solid-state grid pulser, high voltage power supplies and regulators, and protection and control circuitry. The entire transmitter is solid state, except for the final TWT output tube. The pilot may select among four of the 16 available APG-66 operating frequencies in any given F-16 aircraft.

Control Panel
The radar control panel in the cockpit is used by the pilot to command the desired radar channel mode, range scale, scan width, and elevation bar scan. The avionics system can, under many conditions, assume control of the radar functions.

Transmitter

I Control Panel

Digital Signal Processor

Computer

Digital Signal Processor

Clutter rejection and other radar signal processing is performed by the digital signal processor. Digital radar techniques have been used extensively to replace contemporary analog hardware. The digital signal processor uses standard integrated circuits mounted in dual in-line packages. Large scale integration (LSI) devices are used where industry standards and multiple sources exist. Thus, a high circuit density is achieved which decreases size and weight at a low cost. Custom LSI devices were avoided for cost and availability reasons in favor of standard devices, which have exhibited reliability maturity.

Computer
The radar computer configures the radar system for the various operating modes, directs the digital signal processor to embed symbols in the video output, makes calculations, routes data to the fire control computer, interfaces with other F-16 avionic systems as well as other radar LRU's and controls all of the self-test and builtin-test functions of the radar. Growth provisions have also been made in the F-16 Radar for addition of the missile illuminator required for the Sparrow (AIM-7) missile. The computer is equipped with 48,000 16-bit words of programmable, semiconductor read-only memory. Temporary scratch pad memory requirements are met using volatile, semi-conductor random access memory. Significantly ample memory reserve exists for introduction of new features and modes.

Head-Up, Hands-On Operation

The APG-66 Radar is designed for one-man operation. All com bat-critical radar set controls are integrated into the throttle grip and side stick controller. This allows the pilot to keep his head out of the cockpit and his hands on the aircraft controls. All other radar controls are incorporated on the left console. Air-to-air information is displayed on the HUD as well as the radar display. Dogfight: Selects ACM Radar Cursor: Moves x and y axis range and azimuth markers and selects and positions slewable ACM Designate: Initiates air or ground track or selects Boresight ACM Return to Search In Air-to-Air: Breaks lock, alternates ACM fields of view between 20 x 20 and 10 x 40. In Air-to-Ground: Selects in order Expand, DBS, RBGM

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Reliability By Design
The APG-66 Radar is designed to be ready when needed. Reliability has been designed into the radar from the start and its functionally modular architecture eases maintainability. To achieve high reliability, the APG-66 emphasizes design simplicity. No rate gyros, hydraulics, or roll gimbal. One polarization, one rotary joint and a single channel receiver. Parts count reduced to only 9500 through the use of digital architecture.

Demonstrated Maintainability
The APG-66 is partitioned into functional autonomous modules integrated by a digital data bus. This modular architecture and continuous selftest greatly ease system maintainability.

On the flight line

The only required maintenance is to replace the defective LRU. This can be done in less than five minutes. No special tools or test equipment are needed and there is no flight line adjustment or electronic harmonization necessary.

In the cockpit
Continuous self-test provides the pilot with a 97% confidence level that no malfunctions exist. If a malfunction is detected, the pilot or mainten ance personnel can initiate a built-in test routine that will isolate 97% of the faults to a particular LRU.

At the intermediate shop

The LRU fault is isolated to a Shop Replaceable Unit (SRU) which is then replaced.

At the depot level

The faulty SRU is repaired.

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APG-66 Maintenance One Year Period

Radar Reliability Hill AFB (Based on Westinghouse Field Data) Two Year History

F-16 Radar Combat Readiness Six Month Period

Partners In Production
The APG-66 Radar, like the F-16 aircraft, is being manufactured as part of a multinational coproduction program. Electronics firms from four European countries who have purchased the F-16 manufacture four of the LRUs in the radar system. Belgium produces the radar computer, Denmark the control panel, Norwaythe equipment rack, and the Netherlands the planar array antenna assembly. The four European subassemblies undergo checkout and are integrated with the remaining Westinghouse-produced equipment needed to complete the radar system. The completed system is then shipped for aircraft installation.

Proven In Production
Over 800 APG-66 radars were delivered in the first three years of production, often at rates exceeding 35 systems per month. At Westinghouse, progressive assembly lines are used on various critical APG-66 assemblies to minimize assembly error. This results in increased productivity and higher levels of quality. Automatic and semi-automatic test equipment reduce the standard equipment test time substantially. Thorough testing of each LRU assures that every system that goes into the field meets the overall quality, reliability and performance requirements of the system.

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APG-66 subassemblies nearing completion. Once completed, subassemblies are then assembled into finished radar LRU's and readied for final testing

In the APG-66 Final Test Area, each system LRU, like the antenna shown, undergoes testing at a full range of temperature extremes to simulate actual aircraft flight conditions.