U.S. Navy air combat experts are moving forward with early production of the Infrared Search and Track (IRST) Block II aerial targeting system for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet jet fighter-bomber under terms of a $132.4 million order last week.
Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., are asking the Lockheed Martin Corp. Missiles and Fire Control segment in Orlando for critical components for the IRST Block II. IRST Block II enables the Super Hornet to detect, track, and attack enemy aircraft in a stealthy way without making its presence known.
The order asks Lockheed Martin to provide 37 infrared receivers -- 31 for the Navy and six for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF); 28 processors -- 24 for Navy and four for the RAAF); and 18 inertial measurement units -- 16 for the Navy and two for the RAAF.
These components are in support of the procurement and delivery of IRST Block II low-rate initial production lot eight systems. The order includes 3,000 Texas Instruments integrated circuits as part of a lifetime buy to protect against obsolescence.
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