Northrop Grumman's Scalable Agile Beam Radar – Global Strike (SABR-GS) will replace the current APQ-164 radar antenna on the B-1 bomber. SABR-GS is a multi-function, active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
"SABR-GS offers advanced operational capabilities and greater system reliability than the legacy passive ESA," said a Northrop Grumman news release. "Large synthetic aperture radar maps, advanced image processing and sensor integration provide a significant advantage in situational awareness and give the B-1 powerful new capabilities for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting. Open architecture standards have been used to integrate data from other onboard sensors, enabling continued innovation and affordability for the life of the system."
SABR-GS is based on the AN/APG-83 SABR, which is used on fighters such as the F-16, though it is the three times the size of the F-16 system. "By leveraging the successes of the SABR for the F-16 fighter, we have activated cost savings for the U.S. Air Force's B-1 program, proven that SABR AESA technology is scalable and extended the survivability of the aircraft for the next 25 years," said Paul Kalafos, vice president of Northrop Grumman's surveillance systems division.
SABR-GS was developed under a $21 million risk reduction contract awarded in 2011 by the Air Force B-1 Systems Program Office.
