AN/ALR-46

{{Short description|Military aircraft radar warning receiver (RWR) system}}

AN/ALR-46 is a radar warning receiver (RWR) that processes received signals from up to 16 hostile radar emitters in the 2{{ndash}}18 GHz frequency range to determine threats to the aircraft. Originally manufactured by Litton Industries and General Instruments, Dalmo-Victor division (now Northrop Grumman), it has been used on several U.S. Air Force aircraft including the A-7D Corsair, B-52 Stratofortress, C-130 Hercules, F-4 Phantom II, F-104 Starfighter, F-105 Thunderchief, F-111 Aardvark and RF-4 Phantom II and others.

History

The first battlefield operational testing of the ALR-46 occurred in August 1972 when a team of Dalmo-Victor and Warner Robins engineers installed the system on F-104G aircraft dubbed "Wild Weasels". Flight testing took place against threats in the Suez Canal area and Egypt. By January 1973, the system had proven reliable and accurate enough to be deployed to an F-105G in Southeast Asia (SEA).

In accordance with the Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), the "AN/ALR-46" designation represents the 46th design of an Army-Navy electronic device for passive countermeasures signal receiver. The JETDS system also now is used to name all Department of Defense electronic systems.

In 1999, the Situational Awareness Defensive Initiative (SADI) program was created to significantly upgrade the ALR-46. The program was valued at $48 million in 2000, and was expected to run through 2003. Improving situational awareness was the "highest priority modification needed for the B-52".

Technical description

=Features=

The ALR-46 receiver set allows aircrew to detect the presence of up to 16 threat radars and identify certain characteristics of those radars.

=Components=

4 Amplifier/Detectors
Signal processor
Indicator control
Azimuth indicator

References

{{Reflist |refs=

{{Citation |url=https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/b52/ |title= B-52H Stratofortress |date= September 6, 2024 |access-date= January 6, 2025 |website= Airforce Technology}}

{{Citation |url=https://man.fas.org/dod-101/sys/ac/equip/an-alr-46.htm |title= AN/ALR-46 Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) |first= John |last= Pike |date= January 9, 1999 |access-date= January 6, 2025 |website= FAS Military Analysis Network}}

{{Citation |url=https://deagel.com/Components/ANALR-46/a000892 |title= AN/ALR-46 |date= 2003 |access-date= January 6, 2025 |website= Deagal}}

{{Citation |url=https://prc68.com/I/RWR.shtml |title= Radar Warning Receivers |first= Brooke |last= Clarke |date= 2001 |access-date= January 6, 2025 |website= PRC68}}

{{Citation |url=https://wildweasels.org/weasels-and-innovation/ |title= Weasels and Innovation |first= Dave |last= Brog |access-date= January 6, 2025 |website= WildWeasels.org}}

{{Citation |url=https://aviationandaccessories.tpub.com/TB-43-0123/TB-43-01230145.htm |title= TB-43-0123 Aviation Electronics Configuration Directory Manual |website= TPub |access-date= January 6, 2025}}

{{Citation |url=https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL31544.html |title= Long-Range Bombers: Background and Issues for Congress |date= August 19, 2003 |access-date= January 6, 2025 |website= EveryCRSReport.com}}

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External links

[https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/b-52-specs.htm GlobalSecurity.org - B-52 specifications]

Category:Electronic warfare equipment

Category:Military electronics of the United States

Category:Equipment of the United States Air Force

Category:Electronic countermeasures

Category:Military equipment introduced in the 1970s

Category:Radar warning receivers

Category:Radiofrequency receivers