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American defence prime Boeing has delivered the first B-52 Radar Modernization Program flight test aircraft to the US Air Force earlier this month.
The B-52 with new radar, delivered to 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base in California, is designed to advance platform capabilities into the 2050s by improving situational awareness, target prosecution and aircrew survivability.
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The test aircraft was fitted with an APQ-188 active electronically scanned array radar system, akin to those on fighter aircraft and part of broader modernisation efforts that will keep US global strike capability ahead of future threats.
The testing at Edwards AFB follows ground integration and initial system functional checks completed at Boeing’s San Antonio facility.
“The new radar will significantly increase B-52 mission effectiveness by improving situational awareness, speeding target prosecution and enhancing aircrew survivability in contested environments,” according to Troy Dawson, vice president of Boeing Bombers.
“This phase of the program is dedicated to getting it right at the start so that we can execute the full radar modernization program.”
Data gathered during testing will inform subsequent developmental test phases and the planned retrofit of the 76 operational B‑52 aircraft.
RMP also includes two Display and System Sensor Processors as its mission computers to integrate the radar with B-52 systems, along with two large 8×20-inch high-definition touchscreens at the Nav and Radar Nav stations for radar imagery, control and legacy displays, and two fighter-like hand controllers for radar operation.
The system features upgraded cooling, providing liquid cooling for the radar and engine bleed-air heating for very cold conditions.
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