Photo By 1st Lt. Richard Longoria | Maj. Gen. Andrew Mueller. E-3A Component commander, and Maj. Dean Jackson fly a NATO...... read more read more
By David Sloan
SEATTLKE, WA - A NATO Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft arrives at Boeing Field in Seattle on Aug. 1, 2013, in preparation for a flight-deck and avionics upgrade. The move from analog systems to a digital flight deck will enable the NATO and U.S. AWACS fleets to meet current and future air traffic management requirements for flying in worldwide airspace.
The modification begins next month. During the next few weeks, Boeing crews will analyze performance characteristics of the legacy systems that will remain on the aircraft, such as the automatic pilot. The data will be used to confirm that the performance of those systems will be as good or better after the upgrade.
The upgrade to the NATO Airborne Warning and Control System, or AWACS, aircraft, along with a U.S. AWACS, is part of a $368 million engineering, manufacturing and development contract. The move from analog systems to a digital flight deck will enable the AWACS fleets to meet current and future air traffic management requirements for flying in worldwide airspace.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Andy Mueller, commander of NATO’s E-3A Component, was aboard the flight to Seattle. During a meeting with Boeing employees the following day, he thanked them for the engineering already completed and for their work to make the modification more affordable.
“I stand behind you and your work. I’m out there every day saying this modification is important and that we’re going to make it, we’re going to make it on time, and it’s going to work when we deliver it,” General Mueller said.
The modification is scheduled to be completed in 2015
| Date Taken: | 08.01.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 09.12.2013 05:28 |
| Story ID: | 113504 |
| Location: | SEATTLE, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,095 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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