New targeting technologies have been demonstrated on a Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft during a US Navy fleet experimentation campaign, the company announced on 1 December.
The technologies included an advanced targeting processor, an open architecture, high-bandwidth data link, and a Windows-based tablet integrated with the mission system.
The demonstration saw data integrated from multiple Growlers - operating with an E-2 Hawkeye aircraft - using the new high-bandwidth data link. Speed and accuracy of target locating was increased, and use of the tablet device with the aircraft mission system allowed aircrews to more easily access data and communicate with crews in other aircraft.
Existing Growlers will be retrofitted with the upgrades, and the technology will be included as a standard offering on all new aircraft in production.
Capt. David Kindley, US Navy F/A-18 and EA-18G program manager, said: ‘This enhanced targeting capability provides our aircrews with a significant advantage, especially in an increasingly dense threat environment where longer-range targeting is critical to the fight.’