Nichols Martin
The Air National Guard has demonstrated the performance of a Northrop Grumman-made active electronically scanned array radar pod using an F-16 aircraft.
The AN/ASQ-236 Dragon’s Eye radar pod is designed to help pilots detect, track and engage multiple targets regardless of the weather, Northrop said Thursday.
Dragon’s Eye uses a Ku-band radar to provide situational awareness and inform decision making.
The U.S. Air Force plans to operationally implement the pod across both reserve and national guard F-16 fleets.
USAF already uses Dragon’s Eye with the F-15E Strike Eagle and has also tested the pod with a B-52 bomber and an AC-130 gunship.
Susan Bruce, vice president of advanced mission capabilities at Northrop, said the pod is also designed to adapt to new platforms and features radar modes compatible across the company’s fifth-generation radar portfolio.
