BAE Systems to upgrade situational awareness on National Guard aircraft

JOHNSON CITY, N.Y., 16 Oct. 2007. The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves have selected BAE Systems to upgrade the A-10A Thunderbolt II for increased situational awareness and targeting control. During 2008, BAE Systems will modify more than 100 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve A-10A aircraft stationed around the country.

The upgrade will improve pilot awareness of the position of friendly ground forces. It also will reduce pilot workload by automatically transferring target coordinates within the aircraft's internal systems and to other aircraft on the network.

BAE Systems is developing the aircraft modification in its Johnson City, N.Y., facility. In its on-site integration laboratory, the company will integrate a multifunction color cockpit display with the targeting pod prior to installation and flight testing to maximize cost and schedule performance.