US Starts Flight Testing New Radars for Upgraded F-16 Combat Aircraft

Flight testing has begun on the new APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radars (SABR) as part of an upgrade program for US Air Force’s F-16 combat aircraft, defense contractor Northrop Grumman announced in a news release.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The SABR is an active electronically-scanned array radar that has undergone two years of development and testing.

"The APG-83 provides… an affordable and reliable active electronically scanned array radar upgrade option that provides 5th generation fighter radar capabilities to the F-16," Northrop Grumman Vice President and General Manager Mike Hinkey stated on Tuesday.

Northrop Grumman will deliver the first of 144 APG-83 radars later this year to Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor on the F-16 upgrade programs of international customers, the release noted.

"The beginning of flight testing is a major milestone for SABR that will lead to game-changing mission advantages for the warfighter," Hinkey noted.