$34.5M to Support F-18 Weapons Management Systems
Mar 24, 2006 02:27 EST
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Smiths Aerospace LCC, Customer Services Americas in Clearwater, FL received a $16.5 million requirements contract to provide performance-based logistics in support of the AN/AYK-22 stores management system upgrade used on all 483 of the US Navy’s the F/A-18 C-F variants, plus the forthcoming EA-18G “Growler” electronic warfare aircraft. This performance based logistics program provides the Navy with comprehensive equipment and support of the F/A-18 stores management system upgrade. The overall program includes DefenseLINK’s announced five-year contract worth $16.5 million, plus a potential $18 million follow-on contract option for another five years. Work on this contract will be performed in Clearwater, FL (95%) and Grand Rapids, MI (5%), and is expected to be complete by March 2016. This contract was not awarded competitively by the Naval Inventory Control Point (N00383-06-D-034D).
The AN/AYK-22 is standard equipment in the last lot of Hornet C-D versions, plus all Super Hornets and the Growler electronic warfare variant. It’s also added as an update to older F/A-18 Hornets from Smiths’ AN/AYQ-9 or AYQ-9 P3I, which added MIL-STD-1760 interface for more advanced weapons. This interesting January 2002 Crosstalk Magazine article described the processes used to implement the major software update that includes the AYK-22.
Smith Aerospace’s March 23, 2006 corporate release notes that the firm also has performance based logistics contracts in place with the US and other militaries for equipment in the AV-8B, F-14, F/A-18, Tornado, Hawk, and Eurofighter; and the H-60 Seahawk/LAMPS helicopter.
