OWEGO, New York — The U.S. Army Contracting Command awarded Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems a $117.1 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for post-production support services on the Generation II Radar Frequency Interferometer (RFI) system equipping AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters.
The contract covers engineering support, spare parts, and fleet sustainment for the AN/APR-48B Generation II RFI suite through October 12, 2031. Operating as a passive electronic warfare (EW) sensor, the AN/APR-48B detects, identifies, and pinpoints ground-based and airborne radar emitters without revealing the helicopter’s location. The system acts as the master controller for the Apache’s integrated Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) suite, cueing the fire-control radar and prioritizing threats for precision engagement. The long-term sustainment contract ensures operational readiness as the U.S. Army prepares for the eventual transition to Lockheed Martin’s microelectronics-enabled Generation 3 RFI/RWR architecture.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: LOCKHEED MARTIN AN/APR-48B GEN II RFI 
* Prime Contractor & Manufacturing Site: Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems (Owego, NY)
* Contract Structure & Value: $117.1 Million USD IDIQ award for post-production fleet support through October 2031
* Platform Integration: AH-64E Apache Guardian (U.S. Army and international operators including UK, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and South Korea)
* System Architecture & Physical Profile:
* Total Weight: 39 lbs (17.7 kg) electronics receiver; 15.1 lbs (6.8 kg) antenna array
* Sensor Mechanism: Wideband passive digital receiver core with narrowband direction-finding sensitivity
* Operating Principle: Non-emitting passive detection in contested electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) environments
* Tactical Capabilities & Sensor Integration:
* Threat Targeting: Passive target acquisition, geolocation, and priority cueing for AN/APG-78 Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR)
* Integrated Survivability: Functions as the central controller for the platform’s integrated Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) suite
* Engagement Envelope: Long-range radar signal detection providing early warning against surface-to-air missile (SAM) radars and radar-guided anti-aircraft artillery (AAA)
* Modernization Roadmap (Gen 3 Transition):
* Future System Variant: Gen 3 RFI / Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) utilizing Radio Frequency System-on-a-Chip (RFSoC) and Intel/Altera MCP-2 microchip technology
* Program Status: Gen 3 development ongoing under October 2024 Army contract to replace legacy Gen 2 systems across all active Apache units
