DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: India-Built Sub-Assembly On US Navy's Combat Planes
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Military & Aerospace(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 1, 2012: An India-built electronic sub-assembly will be part of the US Navy's combat planes, a statement said Wednesday as Indian companies step up efforts to be part of the global defence supply chain.
The sub-assembly provides the cockpit flood lighting compatible with the aircraft's night vision imaging system (NVIS).
American aerospace major Boeing has delivered the first EA-18G Growler aircraft fitted with a cockpit sub-assembly produced by Indian public sector defence electronics major Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to the US Navy on May 3, a statement from the firm said.
Boeing has also extended a contract signed with BEL for another year for supplying the sub-assembly for Boeing military planes.
Boeing had awarded BEL an initial contract in March 2011 for work on F/A-18 Super Hornet combat plane cockpit sub-assemblies.
That contract included options to renew annually for up to four years. "As a result of BEL's demonstrated performance, Boeing recently exercised an option to renew the contract for another year," it said.
August 2009, EA-18G Growlers from Electronic Attack Squadron 129 (VAQ-129) and Electronic Attack Squadron 132 (VAQ-132) completed their first at-sea carrier-arrested landing aboard the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75). The first deployable EA-18G squadron is to be VAQ-132 "Scorpions", which reached operational status in October 2009. The first Growler operational deployment was announced on 17 February 2011.
In service, the EA-18's radio name during flight operations will be "Grizzly". The "Growler" nickname sounded too much like the EA-6B's "Prowler" name, so "Grizzly" will be used to avoid confusion. With the termination of the EB-52H standoff jammer, the Growler will become the sole remaining manned tactical jammer and Air Staff requirements director Maj. Gen. David Scott has indicated that the USAF will seek to provide electronic warfare officers to fly on US Navy Growlers, without providing funding to purchase additional aircraft. By May 2011, 48 Growlers had been delivered to the U.S. Navy.
The EA-18G was first used in combat during Operation Odyssey Dawn, enforcing the UN no-fly zone over Libya. The five EA-18Gs of VAQ-132 were redeployed from Iraq to Italy to support Libya operations.
Australia: In 2008 the Australian Government requested export approval from the US government to purchase up to six EA-18Gs, which would be part of the order for 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets. On 27 February 2009, Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon announced that 12 of the 24 Super Hornets on order would be wired on the production line for future fit-out as EA-18Gs. The additional wiring would cost A$35 million. The final decision on conversion to EA-18Gs, at a cost of A$300 million, will be announced in March 2012.
*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Military & Aerospace
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