AN/APG-68

The   AN/APG-68   radar   is a long

long rang
rangee (up
(up to 296
296 •  Programmable Signal Processor (PSP) - The core
[1]
km) Pulse-doppler   radar designed
designed by Westinghouse
Westinghouse radar
radar compo
componenent
nt whic
which
h is respon
responsi
sibl
blee for signa
signall pro-
pro-
(now Northrop
(now Northrop Grumman)
Grumman) to replace AN/APG-66
replace  AN/APG-66 radar cessing, frequency selection, signal digitization for
in the
the   F-16 Fig
Fightin
hting
g Fal
Falcon
con.. The
The AN/A
AN/APGPG-6-68(
8(V)
V)88 B-Scope
B-Scope display.
display. The PSP is controll
controlled ed through
through
and earlier radar system consists of the following  line- the F-16
F-16 Heads
Heads Down
Down Displ
Display
ay Set
Set (HDDS)
(HDDS) or
replaceable units:
units: what is commonly called the   Multi-Function Dis-
plays   (MFDs
(MFDs).). The PSP is direc
directed
ted by the sys- sys-
•   Antenna tem operational
tem operational flight program (OFP),
program  (OFP), which is con-
trolled
trolled and modified
modified for new threats or addition addition
•   Dual Mode Transmitter
Mode  Transmitter (DMT)
 (DMT) radar system requiremen
requirements.ts. The PSP also contains
all the controls circuitry for radar A/A
radar  A/A and
 and A/G
 A/G op-
 op-
• Modular Low-power
Low-power radio frequenc
frequency
y (MLPRF)
erational scan patterns and SAR/ISAR operation.
•   Programmable signal
Programmable  signal processor (PSP)
processor  (PSP)

• Modular Low Powered

Powered Radio Frequency
Frequency (MLPRF)
The AN/APG-68(V)9[2] radar system consists of the fol-
- The frequency
The frequency generator for
generator  for the radar system. Fre-
lowing line-replaceable
lowing  line-replaceable units:
units :
quency generation is dependent on the random fre-
quency selection from the radar tables within the
•   Antenna
PSP upon system start-up. The MLPRF will gener-
•  Medium Duty Transmitter (MDT) ate a small amount of RF Drive, which is sent to the
Dual Mode Transmitter (DMT), where it is ampli-
•   Modular Receiver/Exciter (MoRE) fied and
and a smal
smalll RF samp
sampleis
leis sent
sent to the
the MLPR
MLPRF F for
comparison checksum (more like a check and bal-
•  Common Radar Processor (CoRP)
ance system).
system). The MLPRF also is respons responsibl
iblee for
for
the receiving of the radar return, generating the RF
The AN/APG-68
AN/APG-68(V)9 (V)9 radar is the latest
latest deve
develop
lopment
ment.. injection noise (for RF discrimination), and the pro-
Besides the increase in scan range compared to the pre- cess
cessed
ed RF with
within
in the
the MLPR
MLPRF F is then
then late
laterr sent
sent to the
the
vious version,
version, it has a Synthetic
a  Synthetic aperture radar (SAR)
radar (SAR) ca- PSP for video processing
processing and threat/target
threat/target matching
pability. against the radar threat tables within the PSP, prior
The APG-68(V)9 has equipped several variants, includ- to flightcrew system display.
ing
ing the
the F-16
F-16DD Bloc
Blockk 52+s
52+s of the
the   Israeli
Israeli Air For
Force
ce,,
Republic of Singapore Air Force, Force,[3]
Force ,  Turkish Air Force,
Moroccan Air Force and
Force  and Greek
 Greek Air Force,
Force ,  Pakistan Air •   Dual Mode
Mode Trans
Transmi
mitte
tterr (DMT)
(DMT) - A 24,000
24,000 volt
volt
Force,F-16C/D
Force,F-16C/D Block 52+s of the Polish
the  Polish Air Force  and radar transmitter, containing a TWT
a  TWT,, which gener-
F-16 A/B Block 15 MLU of the Royal
the  Royal Thai Air Force ates
ates the
the ampl
amplifi
ified
ed RF to be sent
sent to the
the rada
radarr Ante
Antenn
nnaa
for
for system
system emission
emission.. The TWT operates
operates by opti-
cal pulses received from the DMT’s internal Pulse
Decker Unit and TWT Cathode/Anode voltage in-
1 Speci
Specific
ficat
atio
ions
ns puts.

•   Freque
Frequenc
ncy:
y: Starting
Starting Envelo
Envelope
pe freque
frequenc
ncy
y around
around
9.86 GHz. •   Antenna - A   planar array   antenna, which is con-
structed
structed to receiv
receivee RF data through
through a  waveguide
• Under
Under AIS Testing as high as 26 GHz
system.
system. The transmitt
transmitted
ed and received
received pulses
pulses are
•  Range: 296.32 km, 184 miles controlled in time by the PMW (Pulse Modulated
Wave)
Wave) radar design
design,, and the wave
wavegui
guide
de   duplexer
•  Range for 5m2 aerial target is 105km [4] assembl
assembly.
y. Internal
Internal to the antenna
antenna are Uniphase
Uniphaserr
•  Search cone: 120 degrees × 120 degrees Assembl
Assemblies
ies (used for
for quadratu
quadrature
re phase
phase control)
control),,
Phase Shifters (used of quadrature I/Q data) and
•  Azimuth angular coverage: ±10 degrees / ± 30 de- gimbalized   motor con
control
trol for antenna
antenna position
positioning
ing
grees / ± 60 degrees and position correction.
correction.

1
2 3 EXTERNAL LINKS 

2 References
[1]   http://www.deagel.com/Aircraft-Warners-and-Sensors/
ANAPG-68_a001560001.aspx

[2]  http://www.es.northropgrumman.com/solutions/apg68/
assets/APG68.pdf

[3]   http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/02/25/
323057/turkey-completes-deal-for-30-new-f-16s.html

[4]   http://defence.pk/threads/
radar-ranges-of-different-fighters.94948/page-7

3 External links

•  Northrop Grumman APG-68(V)9 Site

•  AN/APG-68 Global Security.com

 3

4 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

4.1 Text
•   AN/APG-68  Source:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AN/APG-68?oldid=646082919 Contributors:  Michael Devore, XLerate, Arado, En-
gineer Bob, Ms2ger, Kevin, SmackBot, Colputt, Dual Freq, TheGerm, A.R., A5b, MonsieurET, Amalas, Cydebot, NDCompuGeek,
Thijs!bot, Oldwildbill, WillMak050389, Sebras, BilCat, Ndunruh, Lorddragyn, A. Carty, Kumioko (renamed), Addbot, Luckas-bot, Yobot,
Xqbot, Slwiki2008, FrescoBot, EmausBot, BG19bot, YFdyh-bot, Aladdin Ali Baba and Anonymous: 20

4.2 Images
• File:AN-APG-68_radar,_Westinghouse,_1978_-_National_Electronics_Museum_-_DSC00415.JPG   Source:    https:
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/AN-APG-68_radar%2C_Westinghouse%2C_1978_-_National_Electronics_
Museum_-_DSC00415.JPG  License:  CC0  Contributors:   Own work  Original artist:  Daderot
•   File:Commons-logo.svg Source:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg License:  ?  Contributors:  ?  Original 
artist:  ?
•   File:Question_book-new.svg  Source:    https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/99/Question_book-new.svg  License:    Cc-by-sa-3.0
Contributors: 
Created from scratch in Adobe Illustrator. Based on Image:Question book.png created by User:Equazcion  Original artist: 
Tkgd2007
• File:Seal_of_the_US_Air_Force.svg   Source:    https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Seal_of_the_US_Air_Force.svg
License:  Public domain  Contributors:   SVG created from this image  Original artist:  Arthur E. DuBois, according to  [1]

4.3 Content license

• Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0