Boeing has issued a draft request for proposals for an active-array radar for the F/A-18E/FSuper Hornet. It is awaiting the US Navy's go-ahead to launch a competition between Raytheon and Northrop Grumman to develop the active electronically scanned array (AESA).
A winner is expected to be named in the fourth quarter. The USN has yet to secure funding for the AESA radar, so Boeing and the selected supplier will begin work with company funds.
Because of delays in launching the competition, the AESA radar will not be incorporated in production E/Fs before 2005-6, says Boeing F/A-18 programme general manager Pat Finneran.
The navy is pushing for money-saving multiyear procurement of the E/F, beginning with the start of full-rate production in fiscal year 2000. Approval requires a stable configuration.
To achieve this, Boeing is planning upgrades of the third batch of low-rate initial production (LRIP) aircraft. "We will have a stable configuration with LRIP 3," says Finneran.
Because the radar supplier will not be decided until later this year, Finneran says Boeing is designing in "worst case" provisions for the AESA, in terms of wiring, cooling and power.
Boeing says it will deliver a "fully spec-compliant" aircraft for operational evaluation (Opeval), which will begin in May, but Finneran expects the lack of an AESA to be marked up as a deficiency.
Approval for full-rate production depend on a successful Opeval, but Congress will have to to appropriate funds for multiyear procurement before testing is complete. The navy estimates multiyear procurement of 222 E/Fs over five years will save $706 million.
Source: Flight International
