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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
	FY98 Annual Report

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine (F404-GE400), carrier-based aircraft being employed in Navy strike fighter squadrons and Marine fighter attack squadrons. When operating from forward deployed aircraft carriers or expeditionary airfields, the Hornet is a key aspect of the dominant maneuver pillar of Joint Vision 2010. Equipped with Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) and LASER Target Designator/Ranger (LDT/R) systems, the F-18C/D is capable of delivering a wide variety of precision weapons, thereby contributing to precision engagement. It has an internally mounted M-61 (20 mm) gun and carries the Sparrow, Side-winder, and Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) missiles in the air-to-air role and various air-to-ground weapons in the strike role. The aircraft incorporates a digital flight control system, multiplexed digital avionics and weapons control system, and either the APG-65 radar, or in aircraft with the Radar Upgrade (RUG), the APG-73. The F/A-18B and F/A-18D are the two-seat variants of the F/A-18A and F/A-18C, respectively. These versions are primarily used for training; however, the F/A-18D night attack aircraft is used in USMC tactical squadrons for tactical air controller (airborne) and forward air controller (airborne) missions, and is planned to have a tactical reconnaissance role in the future.

Individual Upgrade Descriptions:

Radar Upgrade (RUG): Phase I increased the radar processing speed and memory, and improved receiver sensitivity to increase air-to-air detection range and improve Electronic Counter Countermeasures (ECCM) capabilities (with improved software in OFP-13C). RUG Phase II will provide high-resolution ground mapping for recce capability and autonomous targeting for Joint StandOff Weapon System and Joint Direct Attack Munition. RUG Phase III, very early in the acquisition process, will be an upgrade to an Advanced Electronically Scanned Array antenna and will provide greatly improved ECCM performance, near simultaneous multi-mission capability, and enhanced signature characteristics.

Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR): The existing AN/AAS-38B FLIR pod has known deficiencies in magnification and resolution resulting in insufficient performance for target location and precise aimpoint selection outside threat envelopes, particularly from higher altitudes. ATFLIR will incorporate "GEN III" sensor technologies intended to maximize air-to-ground targeting performance. Testing will begin in FY99 with MS III and IOC in FY02.

The Radar Upgrade (RUG) program is designed to increase the ECCM performance and growth potential of the APG-65 radar and re-designate it as the APG-73. The Navy approved the RUG program for full-scale development in 1989, as a co-development program with Canada. The memorandum of understanding with Canada placed certain strictures on the RUG program regarding security and technology transfer. This resulted in the conduct of two periods of OT&E for the APG-73: one jointly with Canada in FY94 (OT-IIB), and a separate, U.S.-only OPEVAL (OT-IIC) in FY95-96 to test the U.S.-only features of the APG-73.

Previous OT of RUG Phase I included an OA in 1991, OT-IIA concluded in 1993, and OT-IIB concluded in 1994. All of these early tests resulted in a determination of potentially operationally effective and potentially operationally suitable by COMOPTEVFOR. OT-IIC (OPEVAL), which accumulated 397 flight hours in 297 sorties, including eight successful missile firings, concluded in 1996. The APG-73 RUG Phase I was determined to be operationally effective and operationally suitable with a recommendation for fleet introduction. The Navy approved full-rate production of Phase I of the APG-73 in October 1996.

DT flight-testing for OFP 13C has been completed, and the system is awaiting concurrent OT with the Advanced Tactical Aerial Reconnaissance System (ATARS), which is part of the Tactical Reconnaissance package for the Marine Corps. A DT has flown approximately 60 sorties conducting the Design and Development and Verification and Validation phases of flight test. Currently, the RUG II is designed to operate through the ATARS Reconnaissance Management Set and record to the ATARS Digital Tape Recorders. Operational Test is scheduled to begin April 1999 for a 3-month assessment. This capability will allow the radar to be used as a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) with ATARS, or as a weapon cueing system. The latter has not been funded.

General: The results of previous OT&E of the F/A-18C/D have shown major performance deficiencies, which are common to all previous versions of the F/A-18. These deficiencies include range and endurance, which resulted in a recommendation to either increase the F/A-18 fuel capacity or increase embarked air wing aerial refueling assets. Additionally, the APG-65 failed to meet several classified requirements. Air-to-ground sensor performance with the AN/AAS-38B FLIR pod has been determined to be deficient in terms of image magnification and resolution.

F/A-18C/D system performance deficiencies are being addressed in the near term by the RUG program and software upgrades, for which the associated OT&E planning and conduct are adequate. Sensor performance issues with the existing Targeting FLIR are being addressed with the follow-on design of the ATFLIR, intended for both the C/D and the E/F variant of the Hornet. In the longer term, the F/A-18E/F development program is addressing the range, endurance, and payload deficiencies.

Radar Upgrade (RUG): DOT&E's assessment agrees with COMOPTEVFOR's conclusions of operational effectiveness and operational suitability, and with recommendation for fleet introduction. OT-IIC testing included a variety of operational environments and was considered adequate. Some classified radar performance parameters were determined to still be deficient; however, RUG Phase I was intended to provide the hardware necessary for future growth of software capabilities in addressing these deficiencies. RUG phase I does not alter the operational capability of the F/A-18C; therefore, no B-LRIP report was submitted. The RUG TEMP was approved in September 1995 and covers testing up through Phase II.

ATFLIR: Test planning efforts for this new upgrade program are ongoing. Risk mitigation is the focus of current efforts in support of a Build 1 delivery to Boeing in February 1999. Noise and vibration testing as well as software integration continues. Due to the Navy's desire to achieve IOC with this system in time for the first deployment of the F/A-18E/F, the development effort time is being compressed. Since Product Verification Testing is scheduled concurrent with OPEVAL, the majority of the operational effectiveness testing will be conducted with EMD pods "reconfigured to the production configuration." However, at least one production pod (LRIP 1) will be included as part of the overall OPEVAL. Although not an ideal situation from the OT perspective, DOT&E accepts this agreement and will ensure that the EMD pods are "production representative."