Group : Radar Systems
Status : Active
Also Known As : Longbow Fire Control Radar, Longbow Fire Control Radar Block III (Improved version to enter service in 2012)
Origin : United States of America
Contractors : Longbow Limited Liability Company*, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : 1998
Total Production : 500

The AN/APG-78 is a millimeter wave radar designed for the AH-64D Longbow Apache attack helicopter. It can search, detect, locate, classify, and prioritize moving and stationary targets day or night in fair or adverse weather and battlefield obscurants. The APG-78 radar has been designed to use AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire anti-tank missiles. It can scan an area searching for potential targets presenting to the aircrew the top 16 of 100 targets in less than 6 seconds. In addition, APG-78 provides situational awareness to the Longbow Apache helicopter improving its survivability. The APG-78 Fire Control Radar (FCR) has been provided to the United States AH-64D Longbow Apache (Block II) helicopters, as well as, those operated by the United Kingdom, Israel, Kuwait, Greece, Japan and Singapore.

In August 2005, Lockheed Martin and Northrop-Grumman team received a $17 million contract to begin work on the Fire Control Radar Electronics Unit (REU) as part of the US Army's Apache Longbow Block III modernization effort. The improved Fire Control Radar (FCR) will be available for both Apache Longbow (Block II) and Block III helicopters. Block II Apache would integrate the REU as retrofit package. The REU will encompass components originally developed for the RAH-66 Comanche combat helicopter.

The new REU will offer improved power ratios and built-in processor expansion growth. It offers the potential of integration of Future Combat Systems (FCS) Class IV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle control and a common tactical data link. In addition, it will lower maintenance and operations costs while achieving higher levels of reliability. The improved APG-78 radar is expected to be lighter leaving more space and weight for other helicopter components.

In August 2006, the US Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) awarded Longbow Limited (LBL) -- a Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman limited company -- a $125 million contract for the production of 37 Longbow Fire Control Radars (FCR) and associated support. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will receive 30 of these fire control radars under a foreign military sales program and the remaining 7 will go to the US Army. Deliveries to the UAE are expected to begin in May 2008 and will continue through November 2009. The UAE ordered these systems in support of re-manufacture of 30 Apache helicopters by Boeing.