Northrop Grumman’s first few active electronically scanned array radars for the F-16 Radar Modernization Program have already entered production and completed several key design reviews, the company announced. “I am proud to say that we are producing [engineering and manufacturing development] assets now that will be used for final integration and testing,” said Jeff Leavitt, company combat avionics vice president. “These EMD assets are anticipated to be identical to future production units,” he added. The Air Force selected the company’s Scalable Agile Beam Radar in a competition to retrofit some 300 late-block Air Force, and Taiwanese F-16s with modern AESA radar last July. Since then, the SABR has completed three “major development and design reviews,” and proceeded into limited production, according to the Feb. 4 release. SABR has flown more than 200 flight-test hours and completed more than 4,500 ground test hours, Northrop Grumman stated.
Air Force Munitions Gets Big Boost from Reconciliation
June 28, 2025
Thanks to reconciliation, the fiscal 2026 Air Force budget would get a surge of munitions procurement, but it's not yet clear if the production increase will be sustained. The Air Force revealed the secret AIM-260 air-to-air missile's funding for the first time.