AN/ASQ-213 HARM Targeting Systems (HTS)

[David]

The AN/ASQ-213 HARM Targeting Systems (HTS) Pod has opened up a whole new mission for the F-16. With HARM/HTS, the F-16 picked up the demanding mission of suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), once performed primarily by the F-4G Wild Weasel aircraft. The F-16 is truly a multirole unit – in addition to the primary SEAD mission, it also flies air superiority, defense counter air, and air interdiction missions. Originally developed by Texas Instruments under a program to provide new modular targeting systems for USAF aircraft, it is the key to USAF's effort in SAM hunting now and in the 21st century. The pod is 8 inches in diameter, 56 inches long and weighs 85 pounds. Most important of the HTS' capabilities is the ability to rapidly generate ranges to target radars, as well as to provide greater discretion between different types of enemy radars.
The retirement of the F-4G "Wild Weasel" has affected SEAD most. F/A-18s, EA-6Bs, and F-16s equipped with the HARM Targeting System have independent targeting capability similar to that of the F-4G, but with less coverage in both frequency and location. Although F-18s and EA-6Bs are HARM capable, the F-16 provides the ability to use the HARM in its most effective mode. The original concept called for teaming the F-15 Precision Direction Finding (PDF) and the F-16 HTS. Because this teaming concept is no longer feasible, the current approach calls for the improvement of the HTS capability. The improvement will come from the Joint Emitter Targeting System (JETS), which facilitates the use of HARM's most effective mode when launched from any JETS capable aircraft.