Detalhes do programa de modernizacao do Hornet suicos:
http://www.dsca.osd.mil/PressReleases/36-b/2007/Switzerland_08-15.pdf
Switzerland's Hornet Upgrade 25 Program
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/swi ... ram-04471/
F-18 Hornets: Keeping 'Em Flying" details the efforts underway in a number of countries to extend the useful lifespans of their F/A-18 A-D Hornet fleets, from major structural replacements to capability upgrades.
Switzerland's Dec 18/07 request to the USA [PDF] to extend the useful life of 33 Swiss Air Force (SAF) F/A-18C/D aircraft via its F/A-18C/D Upgrade 25 Program falls into this same category. The SAF have also recently returned from a successful trip to the USA, which allowed them to use American weapon ranges to test the integration of their new
AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles with their existing Hornet fleet
This phase of the "Upgrade 25" Program will be worth up to $535 million, and is expected to include:
20 AN/ASQ-228A(V) Advanced Tactical Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) advanced surveillance and targeting pods. These add precision strike capabilities to the aircraft, including laser designation and GPS coordinate designation.
ATFLIR can locate and designate targets day or night at ranges exceeding 40 nautical miles and altitudes surpassing 50,000 feet. Associated work will involve improvements to the cockpit display systems, image capture, handling, transmit, and receipt capability, Global Positioning System (GPS), and voice/data/video recording.
44 AN/ALR-67v3 Electronic Warfare Countermeasures Receiving Sets. These systems provide warning of hostile radars targeting the aircraft, and deploy countermeasures.
This is the latest version, which is also fielded on the F/A18 E/F Super Hornets.
Operational support for these modifications will be provided through upgrades to the mission data system through the purchase of the Joint Mission Planning System. Also included: engineering change proposals, system integration and testing, software development, integration, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering support services, and other related elements of logistics and program management support.
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives in-country. However, it is estimated that 20 U.S. Government and 20 contractor representatives will participate in program management and technical reviews in-country for one-week intervals twice annually. The principal contractors will be:
The Boeing Company of St. Louis, MO (F/A-18 prime)
Raytheon Corporation of Goleta, California (
ALR-67v3)
Raytheon Corporation of El Segundo, California (
ATFLIR)
Northrop Grumman Corporation of Rolling Meadows, IL (
LITENING AT, among other things)
Lockheed Martin Tactical Defense Systems of Archbald, Pennsylvania
The DSCA release adds that "Aircraft modifications will include integration of the AN/AAQ-228 LITENING Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) Pod." It is not clear whether this is a mistaken reference that means to indicate the AAQ-228 ATFLIR pod, or a reference to integrating the AN/AAQ-28 LITENING pod as well. Neither one is a technical issue, as both pods have been integrated on F/A-18C/D Hornet aircraft before. It's just unusual to integrate both.
