AN/ALR-20

Last updated

AN/ALR-20(A) is an airborne wideband tuned radio frequency receiver providing a panoramic display of Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum on US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress aircraft. As a stand-alone system, it is used by the Electronics Warfare Officer (EWO) to evaluate and determine various classifications of threats to the aircraft, [1] identifying various signals including search, acquisition, and tracking radars as well as communications. Because it allows a broad view of the RF spectrum, its situational awareness also provides for analysis of the efficacy of jamming techniques employed by the EWO using other systems. First manufactured in the late 1960s, the system is a passive Electronic Support Measures (ESM) tuned radio frequency receiver. [2] [3] It is the primary tool used by the EWO to evaluate threats. [4]

Contents

History

First developed in the early 1960s, [3] [5] the ALR-20 began appearing on B-52D bombers (before 1967) [6] and B-52Gs in 1967-1969. [7] [8] The ALR-20 did not undergo any significant upgrades or design changes until the 1980s. In the 80s, solid-state components were added to the system's tuners upgrading older tube-based technology.

Until the late 1990s, the ALR-20's panoramic receiver display utilized Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) technology. At the beginning of the 1990s, the outdated panoramic display (using old cathode ray tube technology) needed replacement due to the existing display becoming unsupportable. This replacement was delivered in the late 1990s. At that time, tuners and the power supply were determined to also need replacement for the same reasons. [3] Today, deployed on B-52H bombers, the system still provides the EWO a display of six different RF bands, allowing for detection and identification of threat signals. [3] [9]

Into the early 2000s, it was determined the system was "becoming unsupportable due to vanishing vendors and obsolete technology". [5] Under the B-52 Situational Awareness Defensive Improvement (SADI) program, the ALR-20 is expected to be replaced with a defensive system upgrade. The upgrade is expected to create up to thirty-fold improvements in reliability. [10] Efforts to replace the ALR-20 continued into the mid-2000s, while some work was done to continue maintaining line replaceable units (LRUs). In 1999, ninety-one LRU-1s, fifty-four LRU-3s, thirty-six LRU-8s, eighty-three LRU-9s were repaired at a total cost of over $315,000. [11] According to the Air Force's Fiscal Year (FY) 2004/2005 budget estimates, SADI would cost just over $70.9 million. [5]

Electronic Warfare Officers undergo extensive training concerning the ALR-20 panoramic system. [12]

Technical description

Features

AN/ALR20A Panoramic Display - Illustrated Parts Breakdown AN-ALR-20A Panoramic Display - LRU.jpg
AN/ALR20A Panoramic Display - Illustrated Parts Breakdown

The ALR-20's panoramic display is the EWO's primary source for analysis of potential threats through a very wide part of the electromagnetic spectrum. [13] The early cathode-ray tube for the display (seen in the image to the right) had an orange tint displaying six different horizontal lines that represented a part of the spectrum. The signals displayed on those lines may be quickly analyzed allowing the EWO to bring the proper countermeasures for multiple different threats at once. [13] [14]

Components

Variants

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electronic countermeasure</span> Electronic device for deceiving detection systems

An electronic countermeasure (ECM) is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar, or other detection systems, like infrared (IR) or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting information to an enemy. The system may make many separate targets appear to the enemy, or make the real target appear to disappear or move about randomly. It is used effectively to protect aircraft from guided missiles. Most air forces use ECM to protect their aircraft from attack. It has also been deployed by military ships and recently on some advanced tanks to fool laser/IR guided missiles. It is frequently coupled with stealth advances so that the ECM systems have an easier job. Offensive ECM often takes the form of jamming. Self-protecting (defensive) ECM includes using blip enhancement and jamming of missile terminal homers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barksdale Air Force Base</span> United States historic place

Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, in northwest Louisiana. Much of the base is within the city limits of Bossier City, Louisiana, along the base's western and northwestern edge. Barksdale AFB occupies more than 22,000 acres (89 km2) east of Bossier City and along the southern edge of Interstate 20. More than 15,000 active-duty and Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) members serve at Barksdale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radar warning receiver</span> Warns of radar signals that might be a threat

Radar warning receiver (RWR) systems detect the radio emissions of radar systems. Their primary purpose is to issue a warning when a radar signal that might be a threat is detected, like a fighter aircraft's fire control radar. The warning can then be used, manually or automatically, to evade the detected threat. RWR systems can be installed in all kind of airborne, sea-based, and ground-based assets such as aircraft, ships, automobiles, military bases.

Electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) is a part of electronic warfare which includes a variety of practices which attempt to reduce or eliminate the effect of electronic countermeasures (ECM) on electronic sensors aboard vehicles, ships and aircraft and weapons such as missiles. ECCM is also known as electronic protective measures (EPM), chiefly in Europe. In practice, EPM often means resistance to jamming. A more detailed description defines it as the electronic warfare operations taken by a radar to offset the enemy's countermeasure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AGM-86 ALCM</span> Air-to-ground strategic cruise missile

The AGM-86 ALCM is an American subsonic air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) built by Boeing and operated by the United States Air Force. This missile was developed to increase the effectiveness and survivability of the Boeing B-52G and B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers, allowing the aircraft to deliver its payload from a great distance. The missile dilutes an enemy's forces ability to respond and complicates air defense of its territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel</span> American short-range air defense radar

The AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel is an X-band electronically steered pulse-Doppler 3D radar system used to alert and cue Short Range Air Defense (SHORAD) weapons to the locations of hostile targets approaching their front line forces. It is currently produced by Raytheon Missiles & Defense.

The AN/ALR-67 radar warning receiver is designed to warn an aircraft's crew of potentially hostile radar activity. It is an airborne threat warning and countermeasures control system built to be successor to the United States Navy's AN/ALR-45. Northrop Grumman Corporation's Electronic Systems sector was the main contractor for the AN/ALR-67(V) and (V)2. Raytheon Electronic Warfare Systems was the main contractor for the AN/ALR-67(V)3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Dynamics–Grumman EF-111A Raven</span> Electronic warfare aircraft

The General Dynamics–Grumman EF-111A Raven is a retired electronic-warfare aircraft designed to replace the EB-66 Destroyer in the United States Air Force. Its crews and maintainers often called it the "Spark-Vark", a play on the F-111's "Aardvark" nickname.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ATSC tuner</span> Tuner for digital television channels

An ATSCtuner, often called an ATSC receiver or HDTV tuner, is a type of television tuner that allows reception of digital television (DTV) television channels that use ATSC standards, as transmitted by television stations in North America, parts of Central America, and South Korea. Such tuners are usually integrated into a television set, VCR, digital video recorder (DVR), or set-top box which provides audio/video output connectors of various types.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electronic warfare officer</span>

In the U.S. Air Force, an electronic warfare officer (EWO) is a trained aerial navigator who has received training in enemy threat systems, electronic warfare principles and overcoming enemy air defense systems. These officers are specialists in finding, identifying and countering air defense systems and also radar-, infrared- and optically guided surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft artillery as well as enemy fighter planes. In aircraft that could penetrate enemy airspace EWOs protect their aircraft using radar jamming, chaff and flares to deceive potential threats. In other aircraft EWOs work to gather intelligence information on potential enemy air defense systems and communication systems.

The Combat Aircraft Systems Development & Integration Centre (CASDIC) is a laboratory of the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Located in Bangalore, Karnataka, India, It is one of the two DRDO laboratories involved in the research and development of airborne electronic warfare and mission avionics systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing B-52 Stratofortress</span> US Air Force strategic bomber (1955–present)

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950s, and NASA for over 50 years. The bomber can carry up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons and has a typical combat range of around 8,800 miles (14,200 km) without aerial refueling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Missile approach warning system</span> Avionics feature on military aircraft

A missile approach warningsystem (MAW) is part of the avionics package on some military aircraft. A sensor detects attacking missiles. Its automatic warning cues the pilot to make a defensive maneuver and deploy the available countermeasures to disrupt missile tracking.

The AN/MSR-T4 Threat Reaction Analysis Indicator System (TRAINS) is a radar receiver/data processing system to evaluate training performance of attack aircraft crews of the United States Air Force. TRAINS evaluated the crew's Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) against air defense radar by analyzing "the accuracy and effectiveness of inflight ECM performance for combat aircraft ECM pods and internal ECM suite". It captured, recorded, and analyzed transmissions from aircraft responding to threats simulated by the US Dynamics AN/MST-T1 Multiple Threat Emitter Simulator (MUTES) to which the TRAINS was slaved for pointing toward the aircraft. TRAINS data identified the EWO's actions, response times, etc.; and the system included a VHF/UHF receiver and training set.

The ADR-8 was an unguided electronic countermeasures rocket developed by Tracor for use by the United States Air Force. It was used to dispense chaff from Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Praetorian DASS</span> Military airplane defensive hardware and software

The EuroDASS Praetorian DASS is an integral part of Eurofighter Typhoon defensive Aid Sub-System (DASS) providing threat assessment, aircraft protection and support measures in extremely hostile and severe environments. As the DASS is fully integrated, it does not require additional pods that take up weapon stations or would influence the aircraft's aerodynamic performance. In addition the modular nature of the DASS simplifies future upgrades and allows each partner nation or export customer the option to tailor the DASS to their individual needs.

The AR-320 is a 3D early warning radar developed by the UK's Plessey in partnership with US-based ITT-Gilfillan. The system combined the receiver electronics, computer systems and displays of the earlier Plessey AR-3D with a Gilfillan-developed transmitter and planar array antenna from their S320 series. The main advantage over the AR-3D was the ability to shift frequencies to provide a level of frequency agility and thus improve its resistance to jamming.

References

  1. "Repair of AN/ALR-20 Panoramic Indicator", GovTribe, July 9, 2018, retrieved July 21, 2024
  2. "AN/ALR-20 (Panoramic Receiver Set, Phase V ECM Fit)", CMANO-DB, July 9, 2018, retrieved July 21, 2024
  3. 1 2 3 4 Pike, John (April 22, 2000), "AN/ALR-20", Federation of American Scientists - Military Analysis Network, retrieved July 21, 2024
  4. Goebel, Greg (June 1, 2024), "3.0 The B-52 In The Modern Era", AirVectors, retrieved August 17, 2024, A "Phase VI ECM Defensive Avionics Systems" upgrade, codenamed "Rivet Ace", was begun more or less near the end of the EVS upgrade. It included a comprehensive update of countermeasures systems for the B-52G and B-52H, including: An AN/ALR-20A wideband countermeasures receiving set, with antennas littered all over the aircraft. The "20 Scope" is the primary tool for detecting and analyzing threats.
  5. 1 2 3 Department of the Air Force Fiscal Year 2004/2005 Biennial Budget Estimates (PDF), February 2003, p. 1178, retrieved August 17, 2024, ...replacing the AN/ALR-20 Panoramic Receiver System. The present AN/ALR-20 system, designed in the 1960's, is becoming unsupportable due to vanishing vendors and obsolete technology and has extremely limited SOJ support capability.
  6. Goebel, Greg (June 1, 2024), "2.0 The B-52 In The Cold War", AirVectors, The B-52D also received new upgrades to improve its combat effectiveness, most significantly with the "Rivet Rambler" program, conducted from 1967 through 1969 to provide an improved ECM suite. Rivet Rambler, more officially referred to as the "Phase V ECM Fit", fitted the B-52Ds with the following gear: An AN/ALR-20 panoramic receiving set.
  7. Baugher, Joe (April 21, 2021), Boeing B-52G Stratofortress , retrieved September 13, 2024, During 1967-1969... This involved the fitting of... one AN/ALR-20 panoramic receiver set. The Phase VI ECM Defensive Avionics Systems upgrade... was started in December of 1971, but it took several years of development and testing. The equipment added as part of Phase VI consisted of an AN/ALR-20A countermeasures receiver
  8. Leone, Dario (December 17, 2023), "40 Years ago the USAF retired the last B-52D, the BUFF model used to bomb North Vietnamese targets during Christmas Bombing Operation Linebacker II", Aviation Geek Club, retrieved August 17, 2024, B-52Ds were equipped with an extensive suite of electronic countermeasures during the 'Rivet Rambler' programme of 1967 to 1969... This included the addition of... the AN/ALR-20 panoramic receiving set
  9. "B-52H Stratorfortress", Air Force Technology, September 6, 2024, retrieved September 13, 2024
  10. Guse, Paul (September 14, 2000), Boeing Awarded Contract to Develop B-52 Defensive System Upgrade , retrieved September 13, 2024, Through the SADI program, Boeing will replace the aging ALR-20A Electronic Countermeasures Receiver System and the ALR-46 Radar Warning Receiver on the B-52 Stratofortress. These upgrades are expected to offer up to a thirty-fold improvement in system reliability.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Gehrich, David L. (2004), Benefifits from Funding the MSD Engineering List: A Fiscal Year 1999 Case Study (PDF), Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio: Air Force Institute of Technology , retrieved September 13, 2024
  12. Occupational Survey Report - Electronic Warfare Systems - AFSC 2A1X7 (PDF), October 1996, retrieved September 13, 2024
  13. 1 2 Blank, Steve (March 29, 2009), The Story Behind the Secret History Part II. Getting B-52s through the Soviet Air Defense , retrieved September 14, 2024
  14. Mitchell, Sid (May 29, 2019), "Iron Butterfly' – a close look at the B-52H Stratofortress during Exercise Diamond Storm 2019", Aviation Spotters Online, retrieved August 17, 2024, The AN/ALR-20 radar warning system that detects and prioritises multiple threats...