GEC Marconi Skyranger / Super Skyranger

[JFC Fuller]

From 'Review of United Kingdom Radar' by J. Clarke (Royal Signals and Radar Establishment), D.E.N. Davies (University College, London), M.F. Radford (Marconi Research Centre) published in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 'Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems Vol.AES-20, No.5', September 1984 (Link). It covers most areas of UK radar at the time and in relation to airborne radar it generally talks about Blue Fox, Blue Falcon and ongoing research for future radars. However, one piece did stick out:

Marconi Avionics also manufacture a lightweight X-band airborne ranging radar consisting of only 3 line replaceable units (LRUs); it is suited to small airframes and is especially suited for retrofit into MIG21 [Mig-21]. The radar provides range and range-rate measurements for gun and missile fire control. The radar exhibits pulse-to-pulse random frequency agility over more than a 5 percent RF range. Range resolution achieved is 150 in. Output is by way ot an ARINC 429 highway. The equipiment weight is 37 kg and the cooling is by conduction and radiation;power consumed is about 400 W.

Is this Red Fox? Or an earlier incarnation of it?

 

[BlackBat242]

The attachments, as the text etc says, is the {edit: Ferranti} Blue Fox radar for the Sea Harrier FRS.1, which entered service in 1978.

What you are asking about in the quoted paragraph above the attachments, does indeed seem likely to be Red Fox.
Red Fox (which I posted a short entry {with photo} on in this thread back in 2015 in post #13) was a later repackaging of Blue Fox into a smaller-diameter package (the electronics - the dish remained the same size) for aircraft with smaller noses.

{Edit: since this post (which is about a Ferranti radar) was moved from its original thread about Ferranti radars to this one, my comment about my attachment in a prior post no longer makes sense. Here is a link to that post: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/th...-falcon-blue-hawk-blue-vixen.1224/post-260259 }

 

[Mike Pryce]

From 'Review of United Kingdom Radar' by J. Clarke (Royal Signals and Radar Establishment), D.E.N. Davies (University College, London), M.F. Radford (Marconi Research Centre) published in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 'Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems Vol.AES-20, No.5', September 1984 (Link). It covers most areas of UK radar at the time and in relation to airborne radar it generally talks about Blue Fox, Blue Falcon and ongoing research for future radars. However, one piece did stick out:



Is this Red Fox? Or an earlier incarnation of it?

I think it is Skyranger. See https://cdn.rochesteravionicarchives.co.uk/img/catalog/ZZ_1395091157_DDBR0114+(O&A-1b).pdf

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

One other project originally undertaken by Marconi before the transfer of the airborne radar activities of GEC Avionics in June 1987 was the development of the Skyranger simple pulse lightweight frequency-agile ranging system. Designed specifically for export and installation in armed trainers and light combat aircraft, Skyranger comprises a fixed forward looking antenna, a transmitter/receiver and a combined signal processor/power supply for a total weight of 88 lb (40 kg), and is limited to air-to-air detection and gun/missile targeting functions over ranges of up to 9 mls (15 km).

Orders have been reported from the Egyptian Air Force for installation of Skyranger in its MiG-21s, and from the PRC for over 200 sets for the Chengdu F-7M Airguard, while Pakistan is believed to have ordered 60 for installation in its Chinese-built F-7P Skybolts. Mention has also been made of a follow on lightweight pulse-Doppler development of Skyranger with full look-down/shoot-down capabilities, which would be a direct competitor to Blue Vixen.

Air International January 1989

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

SKYRANGER AIRBORNE RADAR

Skyranger Is a new, lightweight airborne weapon control radar developed fer light fighter and light attack aircraft and with the retrofit market very much in mind. It consists of three main units: antenna, transmitter/receiver and signal processor/power supply, and since the amount of space available for retrofit programmes can often be limited and irregular in shape, the modularity of Skyranger has been established at printed circuit card level. The individual cards can, therefore, be packaged into housings designed for the space available.

Skyranger accepts discrete digital commands from a cockpit-mounted control panel and provides output data in the form of a digital serial link (ARINC 429) to a HUD and other weapon aiming systems. It has two main modes, guns and missiles, the former having a shorter range, wide-angle beam. In the missile mode the radar energy is fed from the feed horn and reflected back from the parabolic antenna in a 6 degree beam with a maximum range of 14 km. For gun attacks, the radar energy is fed directly out from the antenna through a polarised widow. This results in an 18 degree beam width and a range of 4.5 km.

Minimum range is 300m for guns and 150m for missiles. with ranging accuracy in the order of +-15 m below 3km and +-30m above. Target relative velocities of from -500 to +1000 metres/second may be handled.

The equipment operates in X-band and has five per cent pulse-to-pulse agility. MTBF is given as 200 hours and the equipment contains built-in test systems. Tre current version has a fixed antemna but a scanning antenna is planned as an option.

CHARACTERISTICS
Frequency: X-band
Range: 15km for missiles; 5 km for gun operation
Range resolution: 150 m
Pulse-to-pulse agility: 5%
Power requirements: 27 V DC, <.S¢ W; 115 V 400 Hz
single phase, <400 VA
Weight
- Antenna: 4kg
- Transmitter/receiver: 25 kg
- Signal processor/power supply: 8kg
Total installed weight: 40 kg

STATUS
In production. An Asian customer has ordered over 200 units for its indigenous fighter project

CONTRACTOR
GEG Avionics Ltd, Elstree Wey, Borehamwood
Hertfordshire, England

Janes Weapon Systems 1985-1986

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Super Skyranger airborne radar

Super Skyranger is a low-cost multimode radar for light fighter and light attack aircraft. It is based on the Skyranger and is a direct replacement for Skyranger in the improved version of the Chinese F-7 fighter, designated F-7MG, revealed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Corporation (CAC) at Farnborough ’96, and as an upgrade in the MiG-21 airframe.

Super Skyranger has a full look-down shoot-down capability using a planar array antenna which can scan to +-30° dependent on the aircraft installation. It can provide target range, range rate and line of sight data to the aircraft's avionic system via ARINC 429 serial link and has retained the excellent ECCM features of the original Skyranger.

Contractor
GEC-Marconi Avionics Ltd, Radar Systems Division, Milton Keynes.

Janes Avionics 1997-1998

I don't believe the Super Skyranger was ever produced except maybe prototypes.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

GEC Skyranger related posts from https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/ferranti-radars-blue-falcon-blue-hawk-blue-vixen.1224 were moved to this new topic.