The preliminary design of Lockheed Martin’s next-generation, mobile, long-range surveillance radar has received the Air Force’s approval, the company announced Wednesday. “The new radar’s open architecture will allow it to easily adopt emerging technology, expanding the system’s viability well beyond the typical 20-year life of today’s sensor systems,” said Mark Mekker, Lockheed’s ground-based surveillance radar director. Back in May 2009, the Air Force awarded contracts to both Lockheed and another company called Sensis to develop technology for the replacement to the service’s AN/TPS-75 air search radar. The Air Force dubs this notional surveillance system as the Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar. USAF is expected to select one of the companies by early 2012 to mature its respective design into production.
The Air Force announced a successful ejection seat test for its T-7A trainer, and an official told lawmakers the service expects the jet to achieve initial operating capability by November 2027—two signs of progress for the program.