BAE Systems has received a £150 million ($240 million) contract for a UK Harrier upgrade and sustainment programme. The UK Ministry of Defence decided last year to upgrade Royal Air Force Harrier GR7s to GR9 standard as part of a decision to retire Royal Navy British Aerospace Sea Harrier FA2s.
The UK-based company expects the Harrier sustainment programme to be worth more than £500 million as further incremental upgrades are agreed. Two-seat Harrier T10s will be upgraded to T12 standard.
BAE says much of the work is "non-recurring", including software development and flight testing. A decision on where the upgrade will be performed is pending. BAE, the Defence Aviation Repair Agency and the RAF itself are likely to be in the running.
Modifications include integration of Ada software with a new open-architecture mission computer, a 1760-standard stores management system, new GPS satellite/inertial navigation system, a ground proximity warning system, upgraded displays and secure communications. It will also include integration and clearance of additional precision guided weapons. Operational release to service is expected in 2006.
The programme is to be split into three blocks. Proof installation on early aircraft is due to start in the first half of this year, followed by the upgrade of an initial batch of fighters, which is scheduled to start towards the end of this year.
The last stage will be the conversion of the remainder of the around 70 aircraft and the fitting of new rear fuselages. The new aft fuselage is likely to be composite and is understood to have attracted the attention of the US Marine Corps for its similar Boeing AV-8B Harriers.
Source: Flight International
