Change is sweeping through the hangars of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England. The reason? The wing’s fleet of F-15E Strike Eagles is undergoing a major upgrade, transitioning from the legacy APG-70 radar system to the advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, the APG-82(V)1. As part of the transition, the Enhanced Aircraft Radar Test Station (EARTS) of the APG-70 is being phased out, marking the end of an era for the Wing’s radar maintenance procedures.
The EARTS has served as the primary repair facility for F-15E radar Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) in the U.S. Air Force since 2021. For countless missions, it’s ensured these crucial components functioned flawlessly, feeding vital target information to the F-15’s central computer and acting as the “Eyes of the Eagle” for pilots engaged in close-air combat.
The APG-82(V)1 represents a quantum leap in radar capabilities. Compared to the mechanically scanned APG-70, the AESA system boasts superior tracking, detection, and identification functionalities at extended ranges. The APG-82(V)1 design cleverly incorporates proven functionalities from currently fielded AESA radar systems. For instance, the antenna and power supply are the same as those used in the F-15C APG-63(V)3 program. Similarly, the radar receiver/exciter and Common Integrated Sensor Processor draw upon the successful technology behind the F/A-18E/F APG-79 AESA system. The RMP entered full-rate production in March 2014. The 389th Fighter Squadron and 391st Fighter Squadron were the first units to undergo RMP process back in 2017.
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