Mürsel Şendurgut’s Post

A battle for funding rages on as the United States government decides the fate of the F-16 Fighting Falcon's electronic warfare suite. Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman, behind the Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS), is not sitting idly by. They've already secured two international customers, one rumored to be Turkey, and are now setting their sights on more export opportunities. Northrop hopes to expand its system abroad as the clock ticks and the U.S. funding remains limbo. James Conroy, the vice president of Northrop Grumman's navigation, targeting, and survivability division, is confident in the capabilities of IVEWS and believes that it can provide advanced protection to the global F-16 fleet. IVEWS, a next-generation EW system, is designed to detect, identify, locate, and defeat modern radio frequency threats. It is an exportable and extensible solution that can be used by aircraft of all sizes, from unmanned aircraft to airlifters. The system has already undergone a series of tests and is preparing for F-16 flights later this year. With the future of the F-16's EW suite uncertain in the United States, Northrop Grumman is boldly going where no company has gone before – the international market. Will their efforts pay off, or will they be lost in space? Only time will tell. https://lnkd.in/gJbUXW-i

The F-15EX isn't your Daddy's F-15. The F-15EX has several advanced systems that set it apart from previous versions of the F-15. Here are some of the key differences: Cockpit Upgrades: Full glass cockpit with a 10×19-inch touch-screen multifunction color display. Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS) for both the pilot and the Weapons Systems Officer (WSO). Low Profile Head-Up Display (HUD) in both cockpits. Avionics and Systems: AN/APG-82(V)1 Advanced Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) for electronic warfare and surveillance. Legion Pod InfraRed Search and Track system (IRST). Flight and Structural Enhancements: Digital fly-by-wire flight controls. Strengthened structure (service life F-15EX airframe–20,000 flight hours) Weaponry: Additional missile systems: Can carry up to 12 AMRAAM long-range air-to-air missiles and 22 missiles in total, including AIM-9X Sidewinders. New outer wing hardpoints for increased payload. Engines: General Electric F110-GE-129 engines. These upgrades make the F-15EX a significantly more capable and versatile aircraft compared to its predecessors.

RTX Raytheon's GhostEye® MR proves operational readiness during U.S. Air Force exercise GhostEye MR expands NASAMS' combat-proven capabilities against enemy aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems, and cruise missile threats. The radar was designed and developed by Raytheon, primarily through internal research and development investments. During the recent exercise, GhostEye MR was successfully integrated with NASAMS' Air Defense Console and the Battlespace Command and Control Center (BC3), a command-and-control element used by the U.S. Air Force. This experiment showed that GhostEye MR is a viable sensor option for integrated air and missile defense," said Jim Simonds, U.S. Air Force Air Base Air Defense Program Manager at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. "The radar clearly demonstrated its ability to be rapidly deployed and detect and track live targets precisely at longer ranges, providing increased standoff and decision-making time. In a configuration designed as an air base air defense solution for the U.S. Air Force, all three system components communicated effectively, sharing information and relevant data during a live threat scenario. GhostEye MR provided a comprehensive air picture for the command-and-control system to determine whether a target was a threat and what response was required. Additionally, the radar supported simulated engagements and, with NASAMS, successfully defeated the targets.

Rooster: Then it's a dog fight. Maverick: An F-14 against 5th-Gen fighters? Rooster: It's not the plane. It's the pilot. Maverick: Exactly! What makes a fifth gen fighter a fifth gen fighter? If you believe Top Gun Maverick, then the plane's capabilities matter less than the pilot's skill. I'm not sure how many pilots would be quite as comfortable as Tom Cruise in an older plane against a modern fighter, but why is that? Fifth gen fighters generally have improved agility and may (or may not) be faster than fourth gen (or earlier) planes. Fifth gens may also have access to more capable weapons, are stealthier, and they generally have better radar systems, situational awareness, countermeasures, communications systems, and computing horsepower than older aircraft. Of course they are also much more expensive and available in fewer numbers. The US Air Force is looking at closing the gap by upgrading fourth gen platforms with some fifth gen capabilities. It's hard to make jumps in speed, agility, and stealth, but some avionics and subsystems can be replaced. The new F-16 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) is an EW suite replacement that claims to upgrade F-16 EW capabilities to "fifth-gen-like" capabilities. I wonder if Maverick would have preferred an upgraded F-14 when he took on those fifth gen fighters. #usaf #f16 #ew #electronicwarfare #ivews #topgunmaverick

The biggest story in electronic warfare over the past couple of years has been the emergence of "small" electronic warfare as an asymmetric capability. I've referred to "small" electronic warfare as cheap, sometimes off-the-shelf, systems of systems that provide the type of electronic warfare capability that previously only large organizations and budgets could produce. Think the capability provided by software defined radios on commercial drones. It's important not to forget the importance of "big" electronic warfare, the big budget EW acquisitions that are gearing up for the next fight in the spectrum. The U.S. Air Force is taking several steps to improve its overall electronic warfare capability and is starting to share these capabilities with partner nations. This move improves spectrum capability among European allies and allows for EW interoperability in case there is a large future spectrum fight. #us #italy #airforce #electronicwarfare #ew #bigew #smallew https://lnkd.in/ez6B7PkE

Complete Guide of "Aircraft Weapons" Download free sample PDF : (https://lnkd.in/dWTGCsnA) The Aircraft Weapons Market, valued at USD 9.6 Billion in 2022, is projected to witness a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) exceeding 8% between 2023 and 2032. The evolution of stealth technology and long-range precision strike capabilities has significantly influenced the trajectory of next-generation weapons systems, propelling the expansion of the aircraft weapon market. Stealth technology is pivotal, involving the meticulous design of aircraft, missiles, and military platforms to mitigate radar, infrared, and acoustic signatures, thereby enhancing their stealthiness against enemy air defense systems. Notable advancements in stealth technology encompass aircraft designs with diminished radar cross-sections, utilization of advanced materials to absorb or deflect radar waves, and the development of exhaust systems to reduce heat signatures. By facilitating surprise elements and bolstering survivability in hostile environments, stealth technology remains instrumental in shaping modern warfare strategies. The market for precision munitions is experiencing a surge due to heightened demand. The growing interest in precision-guided munitions (PGMs) and smart weapons stems from their ability to offer superior accuracy while minimizing collateral damage, thereby enhancing their appeal for military applications. Numerous nations are prioritizing the modernization of their existing aircraft fleets by integrating upgraded weapon systems, which often proves to be a more cost-effective approach compared to acquiring entirely new platforms. Precision-guided munitions, equipped with advanced guidance systems such as GPS, inertial navigation, or laser guidance, are engineered to precisely hit their targets. This level of precision surpasses that of conventional "dumb" munitions like unguided bombs or artillery shells. Such accuracy plays a pivotal role in mitigating collateral damage and minimizing risks to friendly forces.

Full spectrum electronic warfare means we must counter coordinated, full-spectrum threats that combine RF and EO/IR sensor data within the integrated air defense network, on ships and aircraft, and within missiles

What is a Kill Web? A network that combines intel and warfare capabilities across different domains, including land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace. This capability greatly increases interoperability among partners and allies. U.S. Marines, and service members from Australia and the United Kingdom, participated in a kill web demonstration aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, May 3, 2024. The trilateral defense and security partnership between the three allies, also known as AUKUS, displayed their shared commitment to strengthen deterrence capabilities and promote peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. During a combat training scenario, service members from the three countries were joined by contractors from AeroVironment, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturer. Together, everyone worked to search, locate, and destroy mock enemy tanks, using two inert Switchblade 600 munitions. Switchblade 600 munitions are direct-fire loitering munitions systems that rely on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) provided by UAVs. Troops in command operations centers use ISR to detect enemy forces ahead of troops on the ground. Once enemy tanks are detected, rear troops will launch the Switchblade 600 and will loiter until a forward Marine directs it to the target for a strike.