How does the F-35's AN/APG-81 radar compare to the Gripen's PS-05/A?
Executive summary
The AN/APG-81 on the F-35 and the Ericsson PS-05/A fitted to earlier Gripen variants are products of different generations and design priorities: the APG-81 is widely described in the provided reporting as a powerful, modern AESA sensor embedded in a stealth aircraft’s sensor suite, while the PS-05/A is an older pulse-Doppler radar intended for a light, low-cost multirole fighter and weighs roughly 156 kg [1] [2]. Direct, side-by-side technical comparisons are limited in open reporting here, so conclusions must be drawn from stated capabilities, architecture differences, and the operational contexts emphasized by the sources [3] [4] [2].
1. Different architectures and generations — AESA versus legacy pulse-Doppler
The sources identify PS-05/A as a pulse-Doppler radar used on early Gripen models and developed from earlier British designs [2], while reporting repeatedly treats the AN/APG-81 as a contemporary active electronically scanned array (AESA) offering advanced performance and integration with the F-35’s systems [1] [3]. That architectural distinction matters: AESA designs generally deliver faster beam steering, low probability-of-intercept modes, and graceful degradation compared with legacy mechanically scanned or pulse-Doppler radars, a point implied by multiple commentaries comparing radar generations rather than specific numbers [3] [1].
2. Weight, power and cooling — Gripen’s radar is light but older
Public reporting gives a concrete figure for the PS-05/A: about 156 kg, described as lighter than many older radars [2] [5]. Forum discussion in the sources compares power consumption figures for related radars and suggests the PS-05A’s power draw is in the neighborhood of “close to 7 kW” versus other modern AESA derivatives [4]. That thread further argues that newer AESA derivatives (for other platforms) achieve similar output with better power-efficiency, implying that the APG family or later AESAs outperform the PS-05/A on efficiency and cooling requirements, though the thread mixes APG-83/APG-68 comparisons rather than supplying APG-81 manufacturer data [4].
3. Detection, situational awareness and mission fit — context trumps single-stat numbers
Commentary treated the APG-81 as a major contributor to the F-35’s sensor fusion and situational-awareness advantage, describing it in one source as “incredibly powerful” and foundational to the jet’s combat system [1] [3]. By contrast, the PS-05/A is repeatedly portrayed as a capable radar for a light fighter but from an earlier generation, with Gripen upgrades (like Raven ES-05 AESA variants) cited as intended improvements over the PS-05/A [5] [2]. The implication across sources is that mission effect — the ability to find, track and hand off targets within a networked, stealth-aware fight — favors the F-35/APG-81 combination, while the Gripen/PS-05A pairing remains competitive for lower-cost, regional scenarios where stealth and deep-penetration sensor fusion are less decisive [3] [6].
4. Integration, upgrades and industrial agendas — read the motives
Sources note active development paths: Saab pursued AESA upgrades (ES-05/Raven) for Gripen NG/E to close capability gaps, and commentary cites that newer APG-series radars continue to evolve [5] [1]. Forum and advocacy pieces reflect implicit agendas — enthusiasts and vendors promoting platform strengths — so claims of “best” radar often track procurement politics and marketing as much as raw performance [4] [3]. The reporting implies that the F-35’s radar advantage is amplified by deeper integration into a stealthy airframe and wider systems-of-systems architecture, a factor that is as operationally decisive as raw sensor range in many scenarios [1] [3].
5. Limits of available reporting and final assessment
The provided sources offer useful signals but not a complete technical dossier: explicit, comparable detection-range curves, antenna aperture, element counts, or manufacturer power-output figures for APG-81 versus PS-05/A are not present in this set of documents, so any definitive numerical ranking would be unsupported by the supplied material [4] [2]. Based on the architecture, role and the cited commentary, APG-81 (or modern APG family radars) is presented in the reporting as the superior, more modern sensor suited to the F-35’s stealth and networked mission; the PS-05/A is shown as a lighter, earlier-generation radar that remains effective for the Gripen’s cost-conscious, regional-operational doctrine but which Saab has sought to replace or augment with AESA upgrades for parity in specific metrics [1] [5] [2].