Chris Pocock has been covering the defense beat for AIN for over 30&nbsp;years. He is a British citizen and a graduate of the University of Cambridge. Chris worked in the air cargo business for ten years before becoming a full-time writer in 1983. He subsequently edited two air cargo journals before becoming AIN’s Defense Editor. He retired from that position in 2018, but still contributes to the publication. Chris has written extensively on aerial reconnaissance, including four books on the history of the U-2 spyplane. He also lectures on this and other topics related to intelligence-gathering in the Cold War.

Defense Correspondent

Chris Pocock

The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has chosen the Raytheon Advanced Combat Radar (RACR) for its pending upgrade of 134 F-16C/Ds, for delivery beginning in late 2016. The Koreans are the first to choose between the RACR and the rival Scaleable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) from Northrop Grumman, which previously supplied all radars for F-16s. At least another 500 F-16s belonging to Singapore, Taiwan and the U.S. Air Force could be upgraded with advanced electronically scanned array (AESA) radars such as the RACR and the SABR.

 


According to Jim Hvizd, vice president for international business development at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, the Koreans assessed the competing radars on performance; operational suitability; acquisition and support costs; and contract and schedule. “We were the decisive winner in each category,” he claimed. Hvizd added that RACR is a repackaging of the APG-79 and APG-82 AESA radars designed for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-15E Strike Eagle, respectively. “The risk of integration into legacy platforms is low in our technology; we accommodate the interface on the radar, to minimize modifications to the jet itself,” he added.

 


The ROKAF has led moves to modernize the F-16, and has already departed from tradition <a href="http://ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-defense-perspective/2012-08-03/bae-systems-wins-korean-f-16-upgrade">by appointing BAE Systems</a> to integrate the upgrade, rather then the OEM. But Hvizd noted that the serviceU.S. Air Force has appointed Lockheed Martin to manage the <a href="http://ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-defense-perspective/2011-10-03/us-declines-taiwans-request-buy-new-f-16s">Taiwan upgrade of 145 F-16A/Bs</a>, and would evaluate the competing radars on behalf of the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF). Although it had previously been supposed that most F-16 countries considering a radar upgrade would await the U.S Air Force’s choice between the RACR and the SABR, Hvizd said that others might also select ahead of the Pentagon. Because of delays in the F-35A program, the U.S. Air Force wants to upgrade 300 F-16s. Whether the plan will survive U.S. budget cutbacks remains to be seen.

 


Raytheon is also <a href="http://ainonline.com/aviation-news/dubai-air-show/2011-11-14/korea-f-16-radar-rfp-issue-imminent">marketing the RACR</a> to the eight international air arms that operate older F/A-18 Hornets. Hvizd declined to discuss individual countries, but told AIN that he “looks forward to some news [on F/A-18 upgrades] later this year.”

 


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