F-16 Fighting Falcon 480th Fighter Squadron USA has received fifth-generation AESA radars, which increase effectiveness against cruise missiles

At the end of June, Northrop Grumman completed an upgrade of F-16 fighters of the U.S. National Guard. Two months later, the upgrade reached the planes of the 480th Fighter Squadron.

Here's What We Know

The upgrade brings fifth-generation AESA active-grid electronically scanned radars. They are used in the fifth-generation F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II fighters. With the radars, Fighting Falcon aircraft "can track more targets than they can hit."

Northrop Grumman says the upgrade makes the aircraft more effective against enemy cruise missiles that the old radars couldn't do anything about. The 480th Fighter Squadron was the first U.S. Air Force squadron to receive AESA radars.

Source: USAFE.AF

Images: Defense Brief

Go Deeper:

• Boeing received $3.1 billion to produce KC-46A Pegasus air tankers for Israel and the US
• Taiwan will buy four MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones worth $555 million
• F-16 Fighting Falcon aircrafts began patrolling in Slovak airspace