Naval Aviation's warfighting success of its aircraft, weapons and related systems owes much to the performance of the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). Headquartered at Patuxent River, Maryland, with satellite units across the U.S. and abroad, NAVAIR has made cost-wise readiness its mantra in order to provide for, procure and support the Naval Aviation Enterprise, the air arm of the fleet. While the Navy's aviators and supporting personnel have always excelled historically, they are now sustaining that legacy in the War on Terrorism in ongoing conflicts like Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom (OIF) and (OEF).
In World War II, in a speech seeking help from America, Britain's Winston Churchill implored, "Give us the tools and we'll finish the job." Today NAVAIR is providing those tools, our warriors are doing the job, and they're doing it extraordinarily well.
NAVAIR's responsibility is to research, develop, test and evaluate the weapons systems before they reach the fleet. Reporting to the CNO, it functions through three prime Program Executive Offices (PEOs) - Tactical Aircraft Programs (PEOT); Air Anti-submarine Warfare, Assault, and Special Mission Programs (PEO-A), and Strike Weapons and Unmanned Aviation (PEO-W). On all acquisition matters, NAVAIR reports directly to the Assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition (ASN, RD&A).
Following is a compendium of the projects underway at ? A VAlR and their current status, Hsted by the various PMAs (Program Manager Air).
PMA-231: E-2C Hawkeye & C-2A Greyhound
The Advanced Hawkeye program Preliminary Design Review (PDR) was conducted last October. This program remains on cost and schedule and will transform air warfare with its two-generation leap in radar technology. The E-2 fleet has taken delivery of its 13th' Hawkeye 2000 aircraft. NP2000 propeller installation is underway, and we are installing the new Mission Computer Replacement and the Flat Panel Replacement display system in E-2C Group II aircraft.
The C-2 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) has delivered three aircraft from NAVAIR's Depot at NAS North Island, extending the Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD)'s life another 10,000 hours and 36,000 landings.
PMA236: EA-6B Prowler
Improved Capability IU (ICAP III) completed Operational Testing last September, and a Milestone III (MS III) decision for Full Rate Production (FRP) is expected in early FY05. The first fleet deployment of this EA-6B upgrade is planned for September FY05.
"Productive Ratio" is an innovative concept for inventory management. It retains warfighting capability with a reduced inventory, which is made possible by converting assets of a larger inventory programmed for maintenance into availability improvement investments for a smaller inventory. Productive Ratio for the EA-6B is in the approval process.
A program has been underway (since F Y95) to replace 114 Wing Center sections (WCS) in all EA-6B aircraft in order to relieve the 3-G flight restriction caused by high fatigue life expenditures (FLE). NADEP Jacksonville and NGC St Augustine, Florida, make the installation concurrent with other mods. The last WCS is scheduled for delivery in mid-2006.
EA-6B aircraft Outer Wing Panels (OWP) have also realized higher than anticipated FLE. Some aircraft have been 3-G flight restricted. We have contracted with NGC to re-open the OWP production line to meet the fleet's requirements. OWPs are under tight management to ensure that aircraft needing the panels are accommodated by back-robbing (cannibalizing parts) from the mod lines. Delivery starts in July '05 and completes in '08. Installation of OWPs can also be accomplished by fleet personnel.
PM A-241 :F-14 Tomcat
Fi ve F-14 squadrons have transitioned to the FA-18E/F. We have fully supported the Transition Squadron Process Action Team and accelerated F-14 retirement from 2007 to 2006.We also executed a combined F-14B and F-14D Software Qualification Testing that allowed concurrent operational testing of the final two F-14 OFP updates. This saved $500,000 by significantly reducing the number of test events.
PMA-259: RIM-7P Sparrow
The Sparrow (missile) R1M-7P Surface-to-Surface Upgrade has tested successfully in seven of seven firings. Sparrow began deploying aboard ships last October. Its new software upgrade increases acquisition and guidance against small maneuvering surface threats and helicopters.
PMA-259: AIM-9X Sidewinder
ASN, RD&A has approved the Milestone III. The BLRIP Report (Beyond Low Rate Initial Production) deemed AIM-9X operationally effective and suitable. It meets or exceeds all ORD (Operational Requirements Documents) performance thresholds. AIM-9X has "lOC'd" (Introduction of Operational Capability) with USN, USMC and USAF units.
PMA-259: AMRAAM (AIM-120)
AMRAAM C7 (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) (Cl represents the 7th variant of the missile) is in production and represents major improvements over previously fielded variants. AIM-120Ds are entering the development and demonstration phase; they feature GPS and enhanced data link. IOC is FY08.
PMA-259: PhoenixAIM-54
Phoenix has completed divestiture. Remaining inert assets are being transferred for demolition or storage for museum use.
PMA-265: FA-18 Hornet
Transitions moved forward as Super Hornet squadrons VFA-22 and VFA-27 received safe-for-flight certification in the fall of 2004. The east coast FRS, VFA106, was certified safe for flight last September. East coast pilot training begins in March '05.
The FA-18A/B/C/D Service Life Management Plan (SLMP) was established to maximize usage of the existing aircraft inventory and to extend service life past the original design. It includes the Service Life Assessment Program (SLAP), which analyzes the aircraft structural components, and the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP), which creates the repairs necessary to safely extend the life of the airframe.
PMA-265's FA-18E/F team deployed an O (organizational)-level repair for damage to the outer canopy coating. This permits squadrons to effect repairs on board, saving OEM and AVDLR (Aviation Depot Level Repairable) costs. Two "customer satisfaction" windscreen replacements were coordinated at no cost in response to a fleet squadron's objections to windscreen distortion that was measured to be within limits of the specification.
SLMP for FA-18E/F management of Fatigue Life Extention (FLE) was established to preserve inventory for current and future requirements.
Our team also supported deployment of AT LITENING PODS (targeting pods) with VMFA-242.
Raytheon's ASQ-228 ATFLIR targeting pod is deployed with two FA-18C squadrons aboard John F. Kennedy. Delivered to the Navy just weeks before deployment, these pods successfully completed numerous missions last July.
SHARP (Shared Airborne Reconnaissance Pod) is being readied for operational test. A new auto mode and datai ink capability will be added to the current manual mode imaging capability. This will put realtime FA-18 imagery on the network via the Common Data Link. Data can be linked to the carrier or to a forward deployed Distributed Common Ground Station where the data is measured out for targeting solutions.
The EA-18G Growler successfully achieved a Milestone B decision and subsequent Systems Development and Demonstration contract award in December 2003. The program team has completed numerous successful Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) subsystem design reviews. IOCisFY09.
Two VFA-2 FA-ISFs were sponosored at the Farnborough Air Show and the Royal International Tattoo at RAF Fairford in England. The Super Hornet won three awards at the Air Tattoo, including Best Demonstration. It was also featured at the 2004 Payerne International Air Show, celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Swiss Air Force.
The AN/APG-79 AESA Radar began a series of 12 Operational Assessment flight tests last October, expecting to log about 18 flight hours. It has demonstrated airto-air track and air-to-ground SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) mapping performance that greatly exceeds performance specification levels. It will help pave the way for the Super Hornet's readiness for future network-centric operations.
In support of the USMC's Third Marine Aircraft Wing in OIF, we have accelerated release of System Configuration Set (SCS) 19C1 software load in advance of the final Commander Operational Test & Evaluation (COTF) report, providing additional operational capability to USMC aircraft using the MK82 JDAM. This also boosts CVW-3's capability aboard USS Harry Truman.
