The US Navy has placed an order with Raytheon for an undisclosed number of AN/APG-79 Advanced Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar sets for retrofit to early build Block II Super Hornets.
The order takes the total number of APG-79s ordered for retrofit to 57. About 100 Block II Super Hornets were built with the modified forward fuselage required to carry the AESA before installation began on the production line.
It will not be possible to retrofit the radar to the roughly 125 Block I jets which entered service from 1999 unless these aircraft receive the new forward fuselage as well. It is expected the Block I jets will eventually be relegated to training, buddy tanker and support roles in US Navy service.
