Evaluation of the air-to-air mode of the AN/APQ-120(V)-11 radar set for the fleet air superiority mission

An evaluation of the feasibility of utilizing the air-to-air mode of the F-4E radar, AN/APQ-12 0 (V)-11, for the Navy's fleet air superiority mission was conducted with F-4E Phantoms from the 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, from 4 to 7 November 1986. Two 1.5 hr ground tests and four flights totalling 4.9 hr were performed in accordance with the VAX Test Plan¹⁴. One F-4E was used as a cooperative target during each flight. The results showed that the AN/APQ-120(V)-11 radar set was significantly deficient in two areas. The radar exhibited short maximum air-to-air radar ranges, and no multiple target track capability. It was concluded that considerable modifications to the F-4E radar will be required to make it acceptable for the Navy's air superiority mission. The radar will have to be converted to a high PRF, pulsed doppler radar to increase the maximum detection range. The incorporation of a track-while-scan radar mode will be required to provide the radar with a multiple target attack capability. In addition, increased computing power will be required to facilitate the incorporation of a track-while-scan radar mode and pulsed doppler processing.