 AN/APG-78 Longbow radar on a JGSDF AH-64D Apache | |
| Country of origin | United States |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin / Northrop Grumman |
| Introduced | 1998 |
| Type | Millimeter-wave fire-control radar |
| Frequency | Ka band |
| Range | 5.0 mi (8 km) [1] |
The AN/APG-78 Longbow is a millimeter-wave fire-control radar (FCR) system for the AH-64D/E Apache attack helicopter. The radar is produced by Longbow LLC, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. [1]
The AN/APG-78 Longbow is a millimeter-wave fire-control radar (FCR) target acquisition system and the Radar Frequency Interferometer (RFI), which are housed in a dome located above the main rotor. [2] [3] The radome's raised position enables target detection while the helicopter is behind obstacles (e.g. terrain, trees or buildings). The APG-78 is capable of simultaneously tracking up to 128 targets and engaging up to 16 at once; an attack can be initiated within 30 seconds. [4] [5] A radio modem integrated with the sensor suite allows data to be shared with ground units and other Apaches, allowing them to fire on targets detected by a single helicopter. [6]
The updated AN/APG-78 radar for the AH-64E Guardian has overwater capabilities, potentially enabling naval strikes. [7] [8]
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. It is armed with a 30 mm (1.18 in) M230 chain gun carried between the main landing gear, under the aircraft's forward fuselage, and four hardpoints mounted on stub-wing pylons for carrying armament and stores, typically a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rocket pods. The AH-64 has significant systems redundancy to improve combat survivability.
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The AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) is an American military program to develop an air-to-surface missile to replace the current air-launched BGM-71 TOW, AGM-114 Hellfire, and AGM-65 Maverick missiles. The U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps plan to buy thousands of JAGMs.
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