Even comparing the ALR-94 to a system like "Spectra" is an insult.  Spectra is a decent system, but is noteworthy far more for its marketing than its performance.   Giving a good but unexceptional EW system the name "Specta" and printing off endless brochures with its exposed components highlighted may well have been the smartest decision during the Rafale's entire design process.  The problem is there are few people in the public who have a good working knowledge of these types of systems. They read a brochure and hear the sexy name, and conclude from that that the system must be a world leading system, it simply isn't. (More on that later)

 

 

NASHUA, NH -- (March 31, 1999) - Sanders, a Lockheed Martin Company, has completed production and delivery of the first of eleven Electronic Warfare suites being produced for the U.S. Air Force's new F-22 Raptor air dominance fighter under the EW Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the program.

The AN/ALR-94 EW system, and related test equipment, was shipped from Sanders in Nashua, N.H., to the F-22 Avionics Integration Laboratory (AIL) in Seattle, Wash., on Feb. 15. The shipment included advanced apertures and associated electronics, a Remote Aperture Interface Unit (RAIU) and RF unit, as well as aircraft power supplies, test stands and work stations.

Don Donovan, Sanders' vice-president for F-22 programs, said that the hardware was successfully brought on-line at the AIL within a week after delivery, and "performance of the F-22 EW system has substantially exceeded the AIL team's expectations," Donovan said.

Donovan paid tribute to the combined Sanders and Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems (LMTAS) team who produced, tested and integrated more than 50 hardware items to meet the delivery deadline as "a huge accomplishment and impressive mission success."

Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems' F-22 Program vice president, described the Sanders-built F-22 EW suite as "the most technically complex piece of equipment on the most sophisticated aircraft ever conceived."

This on-time delivery of the Raptor's EW suite culminates more than a decade of research and development by Sanders and its suppliers. While initial setup and checkout of the system was expected to take about three weeks at the AIL facility, on-site engineers actually accomplished that task in less than a week.

The F-22 EW capability is a critical element of the aircraft's advanced sensor suite which will enable Raptor pilots to achieve air dominance over any potential adversary well into the 21st century. In addition to the electronic countermeasures suite, Sanders is providing the fighter's airborne videotape recorders, Communication, Navigation and Identification (CNI) antennas, graphic processor video interface, operational debrief system, common automated test system, and mission support equipment. Value of these Sanders products to the expected Raptor production program could exceed $2 billion through the year 2013.

Sanders is an operating company of the Lockheed Martin Electronics Sector, a leader in the design, development and manufacture of electronic systems for global defense, civil and commercial markets. In addition to aircraft self-protection systems, Sanders is a major producer of tactical surveillance and intelligence systems for all branches of the armed forces. Other major business areas include microwave, mission and space electronics; automated mission planning systems; and commercial telecommunications systems. 

This original system, although incredibly capable, was a product of early 90s technology which imposed certain limitations(many of which are detailed below when I talk about Spectra), but the ALR-94 has since been extensively upgraded.  You are sitting here talking about the relative upgrade potential of the two systems, when in the F-22's case the upgrade has already taken place, at least in the newer airframes.