Wedgetail radar flight testing.

[corsair67]

What, no mention of this project being about 18 months behind schedule!


Boeing Media release.


Boeing Begins Mission System Flight Testing of First Australian Wedgetail Aircraft

ST. LOUIS, June 13, 2007.


The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has begun flight testing the mission system aboard the first 737 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft for Australia's Project Wedgetail.

During an initial four-hour flight from Boeing Field in Seattle on June 6, the crew conducted a series of functional tests as part of a program to measure the mission system's impact on the aircraft's power generation capability and environmental controls, such as the liquid and air cooling systems.

The mission system includes the radar, navigation, communications and computing subsystems.

Boeing will flight test the aircraft several days a week for the next month over land and water, while the mission system is used in a manner similar to an AEW&C operational mission.

The next phase of the flight test program aboard aircraft No. 1 is scheduled for later this year when it joins aircraft No. 2 as a test bed for system-level developmental testing.

Australia has purchased six 737 airborne early warning and control aircraft. Delivery of the first two aircraft is scheduled for March 2009. The remaining four aircraft will be delivered later that year.

The 737 AEW&C, designed to provide airborne battle management capability with 10 state-of-the-art mission system consoles, is based on the Boeing Next Generation 737-700 and features 21st century avionics, navigation equipment and flight deck enhancements.

Northrop Grumman's Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar is the critical sensor aboard the 737 AEW&C. The MESA array is designed to provide optimal performance in range, tracking and accuracy. The radar is able to track airborne and maritime targets simultaneously.

[FlyNavy]

Imagine how well this will go with the Super Hornets later. Great stuff. :-)

[beagle]

at last, seems to be a lot of manufacturers are promising people stuff then once money changes hands and things start, oops, that doesn't work, mmm oh I forgot we have to do that as well, MORE paperwork.......
approval, CEO resigning, new boss, new team.

why don't the rest of the world KISS like us kiwis
Fingers crossed our herks and orions will be on time.

[corsair67]

Yep, they'll certainly work very well together, especially with the Airbus tankers once they're on-line.

The RAAF were only supposed to get four Wedgetails originally, but eventually the Commonwealth woke up to themselves and added another two to the deal.

I remember once that Jindalee OTHR was being touted as capable of doing everything (and more!) that an AWAC aircraft could do.

[FlyNavy]

Oops forgot to add the JSF to the mix of Super Hornets and Wedgetails.

Have not heard anything about Jindalee for a long time - is it still in use?

[corsair67]

Beags, I think part of the problem with the Wedgetail is that the RAAF are the first customer for this specific model of aircraft, and although Boeing were able to get the aircraft aerodynamics right, the software and radar array intergration has been an ongoing issue.

Bloody computers! ;D

Phil, I'm pretty sure Jindalee is still used - and apparently when it works it is supposed to be very good - but it does suffer from atmospheric interference at certain times.

[beagle]

Of course.
the air frame is very well refined by now
just these wee silicon things floating around in black boxes that $%&* things up.
Yes jindalee is not well heard of, more the JORN now isn't it.
Wouldn't a satelitte be the go for them, then again , they probably already have.
Yes they are getting six and they have an option on a 7th to be committed to by Oct.
7 might seem too many , unless they give us one.
wonder how different the avionics are against what they will be using in the P8, other than the asw of course

[corsair67]

JORN is just another name for the Jindalee system.

The P8 - haven't heard much about that for awhile.

I've also just remembered that Turkey has bought a version of the 737 AWAC; but I think the little black boxes inside are quite different from the RAAF version.

[beagle]

turkey to get 6 and korea 4

[FlyNavy]

Vaguely I recall magazine reading that suggests that having the RAAF as lead in the new version Wedgetail gives advantages for future sale/training upgrading benefits. Perhaps this is hot air in the rapid development world of airborne avionics and fiddly bits.

[corsair67]

Phil, I think as part of this deal Boeing Australia will be doing some of the airframe modification work on Turkey and Korea's aircraft at Amberley.