the Eagle Passive Active Warning
Survivability System (EPAWSS). The
airframe would be equipped with
strengthened wings and have a
20,000-hour service life. It would
also be equipped with the AN/
APG-82(V)1 active electronically
scanned array (AESA) radar, while
advanced missile and bomb ejection
racks (AMBERs) would allow the
F-15X to carry 20 long-range AIM-
120Ds or a mix of air-to-air and
air-ground weapons, including eight
AIM-120s and 28 Small Diameter
Bombs (SDBs), or eight AIM-120s and
up to seven 2,000lb (907kg) stores.
The USAF’s Eagle leet includes
more than 230 F-15C/Ds. The service
continues to assess the type’s
viability as it develops a new
aviation road-map and plans its
future force structure.
USAF SEEKS SINGLE PLATFORM TO
REPLACE E-4B, E-6B AND C-32A
AIR FORCE MATERIEL Command
recently released a request for
information associated with a
new program that could develop
a replacement for the current
National Airborne Operations
Center (NAOC), Executive Airlift,
Airborne Command Post (ABNCP),
and Take Charge and Move Out
(TACAMO) aircraft. Known as NEAT,
the project would replace the
current leet of four Boeing E-4Bs,
four Boeing C-32As and 16 Boeing
E-6Bs operated by the USAF and
the US Navy with a commercial
aircraft. A request for informationis seeking a ‘recommended
technical solution’ for the NEAT
program and for ‘innovative
industry solutions to accomplish
the missions performed by the
E-4B, E-6B, and C-32A in a more
efective and eicient fashion.’
The Department of Defense is
already conducting an analysis of
alternatives associated with the
project. Although the missions for
the three platforms difer greatly,
each utilizes the airframe of
commercially developed airliners
comprising the Boeing 747-200,
707-300 and 757-200.END OF THE LINE FOR J-STARS RECAP?
THE RECENTLY APPROVED Fiscal
2019 National 2019 Defense
Authorization Act could allow the
USAF to formally cancel its Joint
Surveillance Target Attack Radar
System (J-STARS) recapitalization
program. Although elected
oicials were attempting to force
the USAF to continue with the
plan to replace its leet of 16 E-8Cs,
the inal authorization actually
provided additional funding for
the USAF’s alternative Advanced
Battle Management System
(ABMS) project. The NDAA does
however prevent the USAF from
retiring three E-8Cs, and requires
that the service retain the existing
leet until increment 2 of the ABMS
system is declared operational. Italso makes provision for retiring
speciic aircraft on a case-by-case
basis, if they are determined to
be no longer mission-capable.
The service is being directed
to re-examine the cost and
schedule for restarting an E-8C
re-engine project than began in
2008 but was later cancelled. The
classiied three-phase ABMS will
link together currently ielded
and newly developed aircraft
and space-based sensors via new
communications links to support
battlespace management. Boeing,
Lockheed Martin and Northrop
Grumman had all been pursuing
the $6.9-billion engineering,
manufacturing and development
contract for the J-STARS recap.WORK ON BLUE ANGELS SUPER
HORNETS CONTINUES
UNDER THE TERMS of a
$17-million contract from Naval
Air Systems Command, Boeing
will produce the documentation
and kits associated with an
engineering change proposal
(ECP) for the US Navy Flight
Demonstration Squadron’s
conversion to the Super Hornet.
The kits will be used to convert
nine F/A-18Es and two F/A-18Fs
to a special coniguration
for the Blue Angels. Work
associated with the project willbe completed in December- The work to incorporate
ECP-6840 in the aircraft will
apparently be carried out by a
US Navy ield modiication team
beginning in 2020. According
to budgetary documents,
seven additional Super Hornet
conversions are planned.
Boeing has been conducting
engineering design work
associated with the modiications
under the terms of a $12-million
contract awarded in July 2016.
NEW PROPS FOR
NAVY HERCS
UTC AEROSPACE SYSTEMS has
received a contract from US Naval
Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to
support NP2000 propeller upgrades
for 24 C/KC-130Ts. Upgrades of the
irst US Navy aircraft are already
under way.
The eight-blade composite
NP2000 propeller replaces the
aircraft’s current model 54H
series unit, which was produced by
UTC’s legacy Hamilton Sundstrand
division. The contractor has already
completed similar upgrades for nine
of 12 Air National Guard aircraft
comprising two C-130Hs operated
by Wyoming’s 153rd Airlift Wing
and seven LC-130Hs lown by the
New York Air National Guard’s 109th
Airlift Wing. In addition to improving
operational performance, the new
NP2000 reduces maintenance time
and cost. The system also lessens
vibration and interior noise and
provides additional power including
a 20 per cent increase in low-speed
acceleration. The NP2000 has been
in service on the US Navy’s E-2C/D
Hawkeye and C-2A Greyhound
aircraft since 2004 and has proved to
be extremely efective.
The National Guard bureau has
identiied seven C-130H wings that
will receive engine and propeller
upgrades. UTC Aerospace Systems
has begun to modify the irst
NAVAIR aircraft and will continue the
upgrades over the next few years.
The bulk of the US Navy’s C-
leet was grounded in July 2017
following the crash of a US Marine
Corps KC-130T.
In related news, the US Navy Flight
Demonstration Squadron C-130T,
which is afectionately known as ‘Fat
Albert’, returned to the air in July
after being grounded for nearly 11
months. The Blue Angels support
aircraft returned to service in style by
conducting a lyby of NAS Pensacola,
Florida, opening the team’s display
on July 14. The Hercules leet was
grounded following the crash of a
US Marine Corps KC-130T that killed
16 personnel in July 2017. ‘Fat Albert’
returned to the air for a maintenance
test light on June 26 after receiving
propeller modiications and other
maintenance.BACN FLEET
EXPANDS
NORTHROP GRUMMAN RECENTLY
delivered a ifth Battleield Airborne
Communications Node (BACN)-
equipped Global Hawk to the
USAF. The BACN leet, which now
includes four EQ-4Bs and four
E-11A aircraft, is operated by the
430th Expeditionary Electronic
Combat Squadron from Kandahar
Airield, Afghanistan. The aircraft
provide critical voice bridging
and data-forwarding capabilities
to US and coalition forces
operating in ‘challenging terrain’.
The system’s airborne equipment
and processors extend line-of-
sight communications, translate
communications between difering
equipment and provide a common
battle picture for commanders,
ground forces, combat aircraft and
other mission assets. The latest
delivery increases the BACN leet’s
ability to provide communications
orbit coverage and ensures
coverage when unplanned aircraft
maintenance issues arise. One
of the EQ-4Bs was lost in a crash
that occurred in August 2011.
The E-11As are based on the
Bombardier BD-700 Global Express
aircraft. The USAF has reportedly
been setting up new BACN ield
sites in recent months.
UNITED STATES [NEWS]
http://www.combataircraft.net // October 2018 09