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BAE Systems confirmed the receipt of a $26 million contract with the US Navy for the delivery of identification friend-or-foe (IFF) spares for integration into the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.
According to the company, BAE Systems has agreed to deliver Beamforming Networks (BFNs) to the US Navy, which form part of the AN/APX-122A Interrogator’s antenna control.
Donna Linke-Klein, director of Tactical Systems at BAE Systems, outlined that the parts will enhance the US Navy’s situational awareness.
“These sets will provide situational awareness and early warning for US Navy sailors and warfighters,” Linke-Klein said.
“The Advanced Hawkeye is essential for battle management command and control, and our interrogator systems enable operators to identify friendly forces and make informed decisions in a variety of threat environments.”
In a release, BAE Systems explained that the AN/APX-122A identification friend-or-foe system enables war fighters to identify friendly and hostile aircraft, helping pilots to securely undertake a range of missions such as command and control, border security, search and rescue as well as missile defence operations with improved situation awareness capabilities.
The IFF is specifically designed and delivered for use onboard the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft.
It is hoped that the improved situational awareness will not only minimise the risk of friendly fire situations, but also enhance the likelihood of mission success.
BAE Systems confirmed that the company has produced more than 14,000 IFF transponders, 1,500 interrogators and 6,000 interrogator transponder systems.
The agreement between BAE Systems and the US Navy comes shortly after the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) selected BAE Systems to progress the design and testing of new flow control technologies, which have been tipped to deliver significant operational enhancements to next-generation aircraft.
Specifically, the prime has been tasked with delivering a full-scale demonstrator concept leveraging Active Flow Control, which could enable aircraft to manoeuvre without conventional flight control surfaces, supporting improved performance, maintainability, and survivability.
[Related: DARPA selects BAE Systems for ‘revolutionary’ aircraft program]
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