Boeing's subcontractor, Air France Industries (AFI), has begun upgrading the electrical, mechanical and structural systems and mission ...
Boeing's subcontractor, Air France Industries (AFI), has begun upgrading the electrical, mechanical and structural systems and mission hardware of the first of four French E-3F Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.
The $354 Million Mid Life Upgrade (MLU) – the largest ever for French AWACS – will provide the fleet a fuller picture of the battle space and more actionable information while reducing aircrew workload.
Boeing is providing on-site engineering and quality assurance support, software and hardware.
Work on the first E-3F AWACS aircraft at AFI’s facility near Paris is scheduled to be completed in 2014 with the rest of the fleet completed by 2016.
The MLU upgrade, based on the U.S. AWACS Block 40/45 system, dramatically increases mission execution capability, reliability and effectiveness; and reduces life-cycle costs.
Under the Block 40/45 program, the aircraft's legacy mainframe computer will be replaced with an open system architecture using network servers in a user-friendly operating environment. The vastly improved computing power helps automate what is currently a manually intensive workload for the AWACS operators. A multi source integration capability automates the process of detecting and identifying targets to provide a single-target/single-track resolution. Outgoing tasking messages are automatically prioritized via a data link infrastructure. Features are displayed to operators on the Primary AWACS Display in a user-friendly, intuitive manner. The numerous buttons and switches around the current operator console have been replaced with point-and-click simplicity and a display featuring drop-down menus and rapid access to all required information. This functionality shortens the time required to execute either combat or search-and-rescue missions. The cumulative benefit of the Block 40/45 upgrade is to increase overall mission effectiveness for AWACS operators in the 21st-century battlespace, while boosting the reliability of the mission system and lowering life-cycle costs. The baseline capability is designed to allow future upgrades.
The four French Air Force E-3s perform both airborne surveillance and command and control (C2) functions.
Deliveries began in May 1991 and ended in February 1992.
The E-3 Sentry AWACS(Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft is based on a militarized version of the Boeing 707-320B. It remains the world’s most widely used large-jet AWACS platform, in service with the USAF, Britain, France, NATO, and Saudi Arabia.
The French E-3s were produced in the AWACS standard configuration, with some system improvements, and are powered by GE/SNECMA CFM-56-2 high-efficiency, turbofan engines. Enhancements added to meet France's unique mission requirements include a probe refueling system to augment the existing boom receptacle for inflight refueling, a digital recorder for mission audio transmissions and improved radio equipment.
Boeing was awarded a $133 million contract from France in February 2002 to upgrade the radar of its AWACS fleet with Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP) system kits. Under subcontract from Boeing, Air France Industries performed installation and checkout at its facility in Le Bourget, France Installation was completed in 2006. RSIP improved the AWACS radar by increasing its sensitivity, boosting the electronic counter-countermeasures capability and improving its reliability.
In 1998 Boeing was awarded a contract to install electronic support measures (ESM). The upgrade was completed by December 2000.
ESM is a passive listening and detection system, which enables the AWACS to detect, identify and track electronic transmissions from ground, airborne and maritime sources. Using the ESM system, mission operators can determine radar and weapons system type.
The $354 Million Mid Life Upgrade (MLU) – the largest ever for French AWACS – will provide the fleet a fuller picture of the battle space and more actionable information while reducing aircrew workload.
Boeing is providing on-site engineering and quality assurance support, software and hardware.
Work on the first E-3F AWACS aircraft at AFI’s facility near Paris is scheduled to be completed in 2014 with the rest of the fleet completed by 2016.
The MLU upgrade, based on the U.S. AWACS Block 40/45 system, dramatically increases mission execution capability, reliability and effectiveness; and reduces life-cycle costs.
Under the Block 40/45 program, the aircraft's legacy mainframe computer will be replaced with an open system architecture using network servers in a user-friendly operating environment. The vastly improved computing power helps automate what is currently a manually intensive workload for the AWACS operators. A multi source integration capability automates the process of detecting and identifying targets to provide a single-target/single-track resolution. Outgoing tasking messages are automatically prioritized via a data link infrastructure. Features are displayed to operators on the Primary AWACS Display in a user-friendly, intuitive manner. The numerous buttons and switches around the current operator console have been replaced with point-and-click simplicity and a display featuring drop-down menus and rapid access to all required information. This functionality shortens the time required to execute either combat or search-and-rescue missions. The cumulative benefit of the Block 40/45 upgrade is to increase overall mission effectiveness for AWACS operators in the 21st-century battlespace, while boosting the reliability of the mission system and lowering life-cycle costs. The baseline capability is designed to allow future upgrades.
The four French Air Force E-3s perform both airborne surveillance and command and control (C2) functions.
Deliveries began in May 1991 and ended in February 1992.
The E-3 Sentry AWACS(Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft is based on a militarized version of the Boeing 707-320B. It remains the world’s most widely used large-jet AWACS platform, in service with the USAF, Britain, France, NATO, and Saudi Arabia.
The French E-3s were produced in the AWACS standard configuration, with some system improvements, and are powered by GE/SNECMA CFM-56-2 high-efficiency, turbofan engines. Enhancements added to meet France's unique mission requirements include a probe refueling system to augment the existing boom receptacle for inflight refueling, a digital recorder for mission audio transmissions and improved radio equipment.
Boeing was awarded a $133 million contract from France in February 2002 to upgrade the radar of its AWACS fleet with Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP) system kits. Under subcontract from Boeing, Air France Industries performed installation and checkout at its facility in Le Bourget, France Installation was completed in 2006. RSIP improved the AWACS radar by increasing its sensitivity, boosting the electronic counter-countermeasures capability and improving its reliability.
In 1998 Boeing was awarded a contract to install electronic support measures (ESM). The upgrade was completed by December 2000.
ESM is a passive listening and detection system, which enables the AWACS to detect, identify and track electronic transmissions from ground, airborne and maritime sources. Using the ESM system, mission operators can determine radar and weapons system type.
