Airborne Sensors

Latest in Airborne Sensors

Future offensive electronic warfare

How EA-18G Growler’s Next Generation Jammer Actually Works And The Future Of Offensive Electronic Warfare How EA-18G Growler’s Next Generation Jammer Actually Works And The Future Of Offensive Electronic Warfare

By Howard Altman

Sep 20 1:53 PM EDT

Adversary air company Top Aces' F-16 Vips, the only ones currently in the hands of a private operator, are now flying with podded infrared search and track (IRST) systems.

World’s Only Privately Owned F-16 Aggressors Get Infrared Search And Track Pods World’s Only Privately Owned F-16 Aggressors Get Infrared Search And Track Pods

By Joseph Trevithick

Sep 5 12:25 PM EDT

Alternatively known as the Y-9LG, the Y-8GX-12 is another ECM version based on the Y-8 Category III Platform. It was first identified in satellite imagery in late 2017. Surprisingly, considering its assumed role, the Y-8GX-12 has a ‘balance beam’ radar antenna above its fuselage, as found on the KJ-200 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. It is believed, however, that the radar aboard the Y-8GX-12 is instead used for long-range jamming, using its powerful electronically scanned radar beams to suppress enemy radar signals.

Our Best Look Yet At China’s New Standoff Electronic Warfare Plane Our Best Look Yet At China’s New Standoff Electronic Warfare Plane

By Thomas Newdick

Aug 30 4:48 PM EDT

The U.S. Navy supercarrier USS Abraham Lincoln is heading toward the Middle East with an air wing that includes EA-18G Growlers equipped with new AN/ALQ-249(V)1 Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band (NGJ-MB) electronic warfare pods.

EA-18G Growlers With New Jamming Pods Onboard Carrier Heading To Middle East EA-18G Growlers With New Jamming Pods Onboard Carrier Heading To Middle East

By Joseph Trevithick

Aug 5 10:06 PM EDT

Lockheed Martin has unveiled a new version of its Sniper targeting pod with added networking capabilities primarily designed to enable new connectivity between fourth-generation fighters and stealthy F-35s, but which also offers the ability to create localized 'kill webs' with various assets in the air and on the ground.

Networked Sniper Pod Will Let 4th-Generation Fighters Create ‘Kill Webs’ With F-35s Networked Sniper Pod Will Let 4th-Generation Fighters Create ‘Kill Webs’ With F-35s

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Jul 26 3:05 PM EDT

The US Army has put out a new request for information for compact sensors for use on high-altitude balloons underscoring its broader vision for using those capabilities in the future.

Army’s High-Flying Balloon Surveillance Vision Grows With Call For New Radars, Other Sensors Army’s High-Flying Balloon Surveillance Vision Grows With Call For New Radars, Other Sensors

By Joseph Trevithick

Jul 2 3:16 PM EDT

Testing at the Upside-Down Air Force, RADC

The Fascinating Story Of The USAF’s “Upside-Down Air Force” The Fascinating Story Of The USAF’s “Upside-Down Air Force”

By Oliver Parken

May 31 6:37 PM EDT

In a major new development for the Ukrainian military, Sweden is to donate it Saab 340 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft equipped with Erieye radar. The aircraft is being provided as part of Sweden’s biggest military aid package for Ukraine so far and they will bring an entirely new capability for the Ukrainian Air Force, providing much enhanced air and sea surveillance and working together with its forthcoming F-16 fighters.

Ukraine Getting Swedish Airborne Early Warning Radar Planes Is A Big Deal Ukraine Getting Swedish Airborne Early Warning Radar Planes Is A Big Deal

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

May 29 11:51 AM EDT

U-2's new radar is going to the Army's HADES surveillance jet.

Radar Developed For U-2 To Go On Army Intel-Gathering BizJets Radar Developed For U-2 To Go On Army Intel-Gathering BizJets

By Joseph Trevithick

May 22 12:35 PM EDT

Recently released pictures of a Bahraini Block 70 F-16D Viper undergoing testing in the United States show what one of these jets might look like one an actual combat mission.

Our First Look At An Armed-Up Block 70 F-16 Viper Our First Look At An Armed-Up Block 70 F-16 Viper

By Joseph Trevithick

Apr 12 12:17 PM EDT

F-22 with stealthy wing tanks and pods.

F-22 Spotted With New Stealth Wing Tanks, Infrared Sensor Pods F-22 Spotted With New Stealth Wing Tanks, Infrared Sensor Pods

By Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Mar 22 6:47 PM EDT

The Pentagon has provided new details about a sensor system called Gremlin that it is developed specifically to collect data on so-called unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs.

DoD To Deploy ‘Gremlin’ Sensors To Collect Intel On Unidentified Flying Objects DoD To Deploy ‘Gremlin’ Sensors To Collect Intel On Unidentified Flying Objects

By Joseph Trevithick

Mar 8 10:41 PM EST

Declassified documents shine new light on an incident off the coast of Florida in January 2023 where an Air Force pilot says they saw something that looked like an "Apollo spacecraft."

Air Force Pilot’s Bizarre Encounter With Capsule-Like Craft Off Florida Declassified Air Force Pilot’s Bizarre Encounter With Capsule-Like Craft Off Florida Declassified

By Joseph Trevithick

Mar 6 9:52 PM EST

A-4 TOP ACES IRST

A-4 Aggressor Now Boasts Infrared Search And Track System A-4 Aggressor Now Boasts Infrared Search And Track System

By Thomas Newdick

Feb 27 3:02 PM EST

LITENING LA Targeting pod Northrop Grumman

We Talk New Features On The LITENING Large Aperture Targeting Pod We Talk New Features On The LITENING Large Aperture Targeting Pod

By Tyler Rogoway, Jamie Hunter

Feb 15 9:38 PM EST

Low-Cost Infrared Search And Track System For Aircraft Unveiled By Anduril

Low-Cost Infrared Search And Track System For Aircraft Unveiled By Anduril Low-Cost Infrared Search And Track System For Aircraft Unveiled By Anduril

By Joseph Trevithick

Feb 8 5:42 PM EST