Raytheon Co, EL SEGUNDO: Raytheon Company's Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) delivered the first flight-ready GPS system six weeks ahead of its need date for installation in the first F-35 test aircraft.
The F-35's GPS sensor system was developed by the Precision Guidance Systems (PGS) unit of Raytheon SAS under a contract from Northrop Grumman Corporation, a principal teammate on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter team. The F-35's GPS System supports the precision strike mission capability of the multi-role, stealthy strike fighter aircraft, providing it with unprecedented navigational accuracy at the required affordability.
The system consists of a variety of key technologies including the Raytheon digital anti-jam receiver (DAR) and a multi-element, low observable antenna developed by Ball Aerospace, under contract to Raytheon SAS.
The DAR leverages much of Raytheon's research and development expertise in the GPS area. The F-35 GPS system is currently being integrated with the rest of the mission system suite at Lockheed Martin labs in Ft. Worth, Texas, utilizing a non-flight qualified system.
Troy Nestor, PGS program director at Raytheon, said: “This new GPS system will bring enhanced capability to the F-35 platform in the critical areas of precision landing and strike — emerging capabilities that rely on highly sophisticated and robust technology to ensure the necessary pinpoint accuracy demanded in the high-threat environments in which the F-35 will operate.
“While most people believe that GPS technology is pretty standard stuff, the type of reliable and robust GPS system we are developing for the F-35 takes the capability to a whole new level. It allows us to support the advanced needs and requirements of our customer. The digital anti-jam GPS receiver will give the F-35 platform a unique edge through utilizing the most advanced technology available today.”
PGS, a specialist division in the company's Space and Airborne Systems business, was awarded an initial $25.8 million system design and development subcontract in 2003 by Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems. Northrop Grumman is responsible for the mission systems integration of the GPS sensor.
“The F-35 GPS system is a leap-ahead aircraft technology, integrating state-of-the-art and next generation technology. This means that the F-35 will be operating the most precise, effective navigation and tracking system out there,” said Kimberly Binegar, F-35 GPS program manager for Raytheon's PGS business area.
“Our system provides a key precision strike capability to the United States and its allies. The GPS provides high levels of measurement accuracy, extreme time synchronization performance, and very high GPS anti-jam capability for the F-35,” said John Fleming, technical director for the JSF GPS program at Raytheon.
The F-35 is a next-generation, supersonic, multi-role stealth aircraft designed to replace the AV-8B Harrier, A-10, F-16, F/A-18 Hornet and the United Kingdom's Harrier GR.7 and Sea Harrier.
Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems is the leading provider of sensor systems, which give war fighters the most accurate and timely information available for the network-centric battlefield. With 2004 revenues of $4 billion and 13,000 employees, SAS is headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., with additional facilities in Goleta, Calif.; Forest, Miss.; Dallas, McKinney and Plano, Texas; and several international locations.
Raytheon Company, with 2004 sales of $20.2 billion, is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 80,000 people worldwide.
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