NATO E-3 AWACS Improvements
Since its initial deployment, the E-3 has been continually modernized to meet its evolving mission requirements. Boeing was awarded a U.S. Air Force contract in May 1987 to begin a long-term improvement program for the AWACS. The largest effort of this integration contract (ICON) will be full-scale development and integration of an Electronic Support Measures (ESM) system into U.S. and NATO E-3s. The ESM system will reduce the risk of attack by allowing the E-3 to detect signals emitted by both hostile and friendly targets and to help identify them. ESM represented the first system upgrade to the NATO E-3 fleet and was the first U.S. Air Force/NATO cooperatively developed E-3 enhancement.
In January 1993, Boeing was awarded a $294.6 million contract for the Mod Block 1 phase of the NATO E-3 modernization program. Under this contract, Boeing, with subcontractor support, worked on the design, integration, production and installation of three major enhancements: new color displays improve the form and usability of incoming situational information and Have-Quick radios add secure and anti-jam features to the UHF communication system. A version of the JTIDS, called Link 16, increases the amount of information that can be collected and shared between two AWACS allied aircraft. Boeing completed trial installation of Mod Block 1 equipment in February 1995. In November 1997, the Boeing Operations International (BOI)/Daimler-Benz Aerospace (Dasa) team in Manching, Germany, completed retrofit of all 17 E-3 aircraft with Mod Block 1 and ESM systems.
NATO also has joined the Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP), a multinational cooperative effort. RSIP will improve the E-3's radar by increasing the sensitivity of the pulse Doppler radar so the aircraft can detect and track smaller stealthy targets over a longer range. It will also improve the radar's electronic counter-
countermeasures capability (making it harder to jam the system), upgrade the radar operator's console, replace the radar's existing computer with a new high-reliability multiprocessor and rewrite the radar software to make it easier to maintain and enhance in the future.
RSIP Initial Operation Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) flight testing on board a NATO E-3 was completed in September 1996. Later that year, Boeing was authorized by the U.S. Air Force, NATO and the United Kingdom to begin production of radar enhancements to their AWACS fleets. The installation of NATO kits began in late 1997 by the BOI/Dasa team. Retrofit of all 17 aircraft was completed in 2000.
In November 1997, Boeing received a contract to develop and test a mission systems upgrade for the NATO E-3 fleet. Under the engineering, manufacturing and development (EMD) contract, , Boeing -- supported by subcontractors from participating NATO nations รข€“ integrated major system-related enhancements to computers, displays, communications, navigation and target identification.
Major mission system enhancements were installed on 17 NATO AWACS aircraft as part of the $1.32 billion Mid-Term Modernization program.
EADS, as subcontractor to Boeing, performed the work in Manching, Germany. Retrofit of the first aircraft was completed in Nov. 2006. The entire fleet was completed in Nov. 2008. Additionally, Boeing upgraded two NATO AWACS mission simulators into the Mid-Term configuration.
The enhancements provide an improved picture of the battlespace with the integration of data from various sensors on board the AWACS, as well as from other sources, and an increased capacity in the number of targets it can track. The capability means increased interoperability with more assets including other AWACS or Airborne Early Warning and Control fleets, ground stations, fighter aircraft, UAVs, ships and satellites and is combined with an updated Identification Friend or Foe system.
In December 2001, Boeing received a $37.6 million contract to enhance the flight deck of the NATO AWACS fleet. Under the contract, the 17 aircraft were upgraded to meet near-term European civil requirements for reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM). RVSM will allow the E-3s to operate in areas where air traffic control vertical separation requirements have been reduced to handle increased air traffic.
Additionally, the NATO AWACS aircraft were outfitted with Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS). ACAS works with the aircraft's identification friend or foe transponder to detect other aircraft within ACAS protected airspace. If an aircraft comes too close, the system sounds an alert and provides a message (climb or descend) to the AWACS flight crew to avoid a collision.
As prime contractor, Boeing was responsible for the engineering design, hardware kit build, system integration, analysis, and certification support. Rockwell Collins provided the ACAS computer, antenna system, and integrated vertical speed / ACAS cockpit display. European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) provided an upgraded IFF transponder, Honeywell Corp. upgraded the air data computers, and Innovative Solutions and Support provided the RVSM altitude alerter. Installation, checkout, and flight testing was done by EADS at its facility in Manching, Germany.