Northrop Grumman Corporation has adopted Lean-Agile methods in the development and integration of the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) software for the F-16 Viper fighter aircraft.
The company achieved the transition to Lean-Agile in partnership with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) development teams at Hill Air Force Base, Eglin Air Force Base and Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center.
“With this collaborative relationship, we are now able to deliver software updates to be tested on the F-16 in weeks instead of the months it would have taken using the traditional waterfall method,” said Mark Rossi, director, SABR programs, Northrop Grumman.
“Agile software development allows us to rapidly and affordably deliver capabilities to our customers – keeping F-16 operators ahead of their adversaries for decades to come.”
The AN/APG-83 features all-weather, high-resolution synthetic aperture radar mapping with proven hardware and advanced operating modes from Northrop Grumman’s fifth-generation F-35 AN/APG-81 and F-22 AN/APG-77 AESA radars to enable more accurate identification of targets.
The AN/APG-83 is an official program of record for both the USAF’s active, Guard and Reserve components.
The USAF has achieved initial readiness requirements for SABR to meet a U.S. Northern Command Joint Emergent Operational Need (JEON) for homeland defense, and expects to formally declare full operational capability after the completion of JEON fielding in late 2021.
