The U.S. Air Power F-15 Eagle Passive/Energetic Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS) program achieved a serious milestone on July 19, 2022, when Boeing started putting in the Digital Warfare (EW) system on operational F-15E plane at its San Antonio facility. F-15 EPAWSS replaces an analog, federated system with a next-generation, digital, fully-integrated EW suite that permits the F-15 to function in a contemporary menace atmosphere with dense radio-frequency backgrounds. The up to date EW system improves pilot situational consciousness with the potential to autonomously detect, determine, and find menace techniques, after which deny, degrade, and disrupt these threats. Boeing manufactures the F-15 and serves because the integrator for this system, and BAE Techniques is producing the superior EW {hardware}. In an effort to subject F-15 EPAWSS roughly 16-months sooner than a standard acquisition method, this system tailor-made its Milestone C – sometimes a single Manufacturing and Deployment Determination – into two separate determination factors. This system achieved the primary determination level in December 2020, formally getting into into the Low-Fee Preliminary-Manufacturing Part whereas persevering with developmental {hardware} qualification, software program integration, and check actions.
“This milestone is the end result of a few years of extraordinarily onerous work by a variety of nice folks throughout the authorities and our Boeing & BAE Techniques {industry} companions. This technique will present a important functionality for F-15 aircrew, Air Fight Command, and the Nation… nicely into the twenty first century,” mentioned U.S. Air Power Lt. Col. Dan Carroll, the F-15 EPAWSS program supervisor.
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“I’m pleased with the complete group for his or her dedication, drive, and onerous work on this program. EPAWSS will considerably enhance the survivability and utility of the F-15E and EX and can be an important praise to what’s already a really succesful and deadly plane,” mentioned Brig. Gen. Dale White, Program Govt Officer for the Air Power Life Cycle Administration Heart’s Fighters and Superior Plane Directorate, which is main the trouble to subject the brand new system.
“EPAWSS helps us do all that. It will increase the aircrew’s situational consciousness, it helps them perceive when they’re being focused by a radar system, and it offers them with superior methods to counter fashionable built-in air protection techniques. Merely put, EPAWSS is a game-changer,” mentioned Col. Matthew “Pauly Schorr, Assistant Deputy Director of Air Fight Command’s Plans, Packages & Necessities Directorate.
In 2021 and 2022, this system group delivered six iterations of mission system software program, carried out 12 main floor check occasions, participated in three open air vary occasions/workouts, and flew 1,521 hours in flight check, all whereas standing up the modification line in San Antonio and increase sustainment capabilities. Along with maturing system efficiency, over the previous 18 months the mixed government-industry program group accomplished closing growth and qualification of the EW {hardware}, making certain the system meets reliability and maintainability metrics, laying the muse for long-term system sustainment. Because of this, on June 23, 2022, Andrew Hunter, Assistant Secretary of the Air Power for Acquisition, Know-how and Logistics, authorized the second determination level permitting this system to enter into the Deployment Part and set up the EW {hardware} on as much as 43 F-15E plane. A number of members of Air Fight Command attended an occasion on July 21, 2022 to have a good time the event. Boeing beforehand put in EPAWSS {hardware} on eight developmental check F-15 plane and is presently putting in the system on the brand new F-15EX plane at its manufacturing facility in St. Louis, Mo.
