Lockheed Martin & Elta Electronics Win
Jul 4, 2001
A team consisting of Lockheed Martin Missiles, Fire control and Elta Electronics, a subsidiary of Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd., recently won a critical new contract from the U.S Navy that will give attack fighters true all-weather targeting.
Ben-Gurion International Airport, July 4, 2001 - A team consisting of Lockheed Martin Missiles, Fire control and Elta Electronics, a subsidiary of Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd., recently won a critical new contract from the U.S Navy that will give attack fighters true all-weather targeting. The contract funds, integration and impact study to incorporate the Tactical All-Weather Collection and Long Range (TACL) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) system capabilities into the SHARP system for use on board the Navy's F-18E/F Super Hornet. The objective of the program is to analyze the near term capability to integrate a Non-Developmental item SAR capability into the SHARP Pod for the F-18E/F fighter aircraft to enhance the all-weather reconnaissance and precision air-to-ground targeting capability of this platform.
The program will include the detailed design which integrates the TACL SAR radar into the SHARP Pod, including aircrew system interoperability, real time in-cockpit SAR imagery, generation of target coordinates to support GPS-guided weapons, and compatibility with existing data links. The Lockheed Martin / Elta team won this competition after successfully demonstrating the TACL capabilities on board a Navy F-14 aircraft in October 2000.
"As the world's leading developer and producer of fire control systems for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft, Lockheed Martin knows the criticality of providing all-weather targeting to our nation's aircrews," said Michael T. Donovan, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control's Vice President of Fire Control and Sensors. "This contract with the Navy is the next important step in achieving that goal," Donovan added.
The Lockheed Martin / ELTA Electronics Team will integrate its current Tactical All-Weather Collection and Long Range SAR system, enhanced with additional targeting capability into the SHARP Pod. The TACL SAR pod has a 90 nautical mile range against stationary or moving targets and features real time collection and interpretation of intelligence data gathered at a rate of over 12,000 square miles per hour. TACL SAR operation is highly automated, easing pilot workload during combat operations. Its capabilities are sustained in poor visibility condition, under smoke, cloud cover, and against a wide variety of man-made camouflage.
ELTA currently manufactures the TACL SAR Reconnaissance System for the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The SAR System provides the F-16 aircraft with an all-weather, high resolution, real time imaging capability. "The SAR System is in extensive operational use and our customers report dramatic performance enhancement of fighter aircraft intelligence gathering capabilities", said Israel Livnat, ELTA Managing Director. The system consists of the SAR Pod, Data Link and Ground Exploitation Station. Originally designed for the F-16, the SAR Pod System can be adapted for various high performance aircraft such as the F-14, F-15E and F/A-18.
ELTA Electronics is one of Israel's leading military electronics systems companies, capable of providing innovative responses to a broad spectrum of modern defense and civil requirements. ELTA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd (IAI).
For more information, contact:
Doron Suslik
Deputy Corp VP for Communications
Tel: 972 (3) 93 5-8509
Fax: 972 (3) 935-8512
Email: hpaz@hdq.iai.co.il
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