| AN/ALQ-135 | |
|---|---|
| Electronic countermeasure pod | |
| Status | In use |
| Manufacturing Info | |
| Manufacturer | Northrop Grumman |
| Introduced | 1972 |
| Production Period | 1972–2008 |
| Specifications | |
| Frequency Range | 2–20 GHz (15.0–1.5 cm) |
| Weight | 300 lb (140 kg) |
| Usage | |
| Used by Military | |
| Used by Aircraft | |
| Variants |
|
The AN/ALQ-135 is an internally-mounted electronic countermeasure (ECM) jamming system produced by Northrop Grumman for the Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite (TEWS) on F-15 Eagle and F-15 variant aircraft. The system can jam and track multiple anti-aircraft missiles in addition to other threats. During the Gulf War, the AN/ALQ-135 logged more than 6,600 hours of combat, yet no aircraft were lost to a threat the system protects against. [1]
The Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite (TEWS) was a fully integrated self-protection system to defeat threats to the F-15 aircraft. Integrated systems working in conjunction with the ALQ-135 were the AN/ALQ-56 radar warning receiver, AN/ALQ-128 Electronic Warfare Warning Set and AN/ALE-45 chaff and flare dispenser.
In accordance with the Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), the "AN/ALQ-135" designation represents the 135th design of an Army-Navy airborne electronic device for special countermeasures equipment. The JETDS system is also now used to name all Department of Defense and some NATO electronic systems.
Since the 1970s, the ALQ-135 system has been a component of F-15 aircraft. The system has been continually upgraded with modifications to the processor, durability upgrades, and weight reduction. The system was installed on more than 500 F-15s. The band 3 system was first installed in 1988 while the band 1.5 system was first installed aboard F-15s in 2000. [1]
During the late 2010s, the ALQ-135 was to be replaced by the AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Sustainment System (EPAWSS). [2]
The modern system consists of five components of band 1.5 (B1.5) and band 3 (B3) equipment to cover the full spectrum of threats between 2–20 GHz (15.0–1.5 cm) with B1.5 covering lower frequencies and B3 the higher frequencies. The AN/ALQ-135(V) system consists of the B3 RF Amplifier, B3 Control/Oscillator, B1.5 RF Amplifier, B1.5 Control/Oscillator, and the LRU-14.
The band 1.5 and band 3 equipment share 70% of their hardware. This means that logistics and maintenance are more easily performed. The band 1.5 and band 3 systems can jam both high band and low band threats.
| Component | Weight | Volume | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|---|
| B3 RF Amplifier | 97 lb (44 kg) | 2,030 cu in (33,300 cm3) | 11.8 × 8 × 21.5 in (300 × 200 × 550 mm) |
| B3 Control/Oscillator | 116 lb (53 kg) | 2,408 cu in (39,460 cm3) | 14 × 8 × 21.5 in (360 × 200 × 550 mm) |
| B1.5 RF Amplifier | 95 lb (43 kg) | 2,030 cu in (33,300 cm3) | 11.8 × 8 × 21.5 in (300 × 200 × 550 mm) |
| B1.5 Control/Oscillator | 100 lb (45 kg) | 2,408 cu in (39,460 cm3) | 14 × 8 × 21.5 in (360 × 200 × 550 mm) |
| LRU-14 | 10.5 lb (4.8 kg) | 195 cu in (3,200 cm3) | 3.5 × 8.25 × 6.75 in (89 × 210 × 171 mm) |
The EPAWSS improvements for the F-15C/E fleet is expected to replace the existing... Northrop Grumman AN/ALQ-135(V) Radar Jammer... currently providing self defence for the F-15C/E fleet, with the EPAWSS expected to be retrofitted on the aircraft in the coming five years
Production of the AN/ALQ-135 has ended for US aircraft, but updated systems were in production for South Korea's F-15Ks through about 2013
| Active Countermeasures (Jamming) | |
|---|---|
| Passive Radar Warning Receivers | |
| Missile Warning Systems | |
| Flare and Chaff Systems | |
| Directional IRCM | |
| Dedicated ECM / ESM aircraft | |
