The U.S. Air National Guard has flown the Northrop Grumman Corporation AN/ASQ-236 Dragon’s Eye Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar pod on an operational F-16 for the first time. The Air Force intends to deploy the pod operationally to both its Guard and Reserve F-16 fleets. The AN/ASQ-236 Dragon’s Eye pod is already operational on the U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle. It can be integrated on both large and fighter-sized platforms. Northrop Grumman has previously integrated the AN/ASQ-236 pod on an Air Force Special Operations Command AC-130 gunship and Air Force Global Strike Command B-52 bomber during a proof of concept demonstration.
The AN/ASQ-236 Dragon’s Eye radar pod is a tactical Ku-band AESA radar surveillance pod that provides aircrew with all-weather, multi-target detection, track and engagement capability. Northrop Grumman’s sensors and electronic warfare systems give warfighters superiority across the spectrum and allow for faster, more informed decisions. An AESA radar pod provides a self-contained electronically scanned radar system that includes the antenna, processor, receiver/exciter, inertial navigation system, and cooling system and can be mounted to a host aircraft to provide advanced radar capabilities for mission success
“The addition of the Dragon’s Eye to the F-16 Viper is a force multiplier, enabling warfighters to detect, track, identify and target faster in theater. This pod is rapidly adaptable to new platforms and it features advanced radar modes that can be shared across our fifth-generation radar portfolio,” said Susan Bruce, vice president, advanced mission capabilities, Northrop Grumman.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense technology company. With 90,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world’s largest weapons manufacturers and military technology providers. The firm ranks No. 96 on the 2020 Fortune 500 list of America’s largest corporations. Northrop Grumman is made up of four main business sectors: Aeronautics Systems, Defense Systems, Mission Systems and Space Systems. Prior to Northrop Grumman’s reorganization of its divisions on January 1, 2020, the divisions were: Aerospace Systems, Mission Systems, Technology Services, and Innovation Systems. Northrop Grumman is a technology company, focused on global security and human discovery.
