P-8’s low-risk radar is ready for ground tests
 This month Raytheon begins integrated tests on its APY-10 inverse synthetic aperture radar for the Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patroller.

 This month Raytheon begins integrated tests on its APY-10 inverse synthetic aperture radar for the Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patroller. The company will supply three more radars by year-end under the terms of the system design and development contract. It will test the sensor from a tower, before the first unit gets fitted to a P-8 for a first flight in 2010. The first P-8 (T-1) will fly without radar, so T-2 will take the first APY-10 aloft.

Faced with the many challenges of converting a civil airliner (737-800) into a military maritime patroller, the U.S. Navy chose a low-cost, low-risk approach to providing the initial radar. At the same time, the service says it is happy with the performance of the APS-137 currently flying in P-3 Orions. Consequently, the APY-10 is based closely on the P-3 radar and retains a mech-scan antenna.

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