Elbit Systems of America, LLC, through its subsidiary M7 Aerospace, LLC, was awarded a $7.5 million Firm, Fixed Price contract by the US Navy to perform modifications on United States Naval Test Pilot School´s (USNTPS) C-26 aircraft, the company said.
Upgrades will be completed by September 2016 in San Antonio, Texas.
With a trusted legacy of delivering high quality modifications and upgrades to a wide range of airframes from military and corporate jets to turbo props, Elbit Systems of America, the Type Certificate holder for the C-26, was selected to install an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) upgrade and a Finmeccanica, Vixen 500E AESA radar on the Navy´s C-26 aircraft. This modification will replace the existing weather radar with an AESA radar that meets the USNTPS requirements for training and supportability, and Navy Test Wing Atlantic (NTWL) Open Architecture (OA) flying test bed requirements.
USNTPS trains experienced pilots, Naval Flight Officers (NFOs), and engineers to become qualified test pilots, test flight officers, and flight test engineers that support test and evaluation programs. Graduates of the school must meet the test and evaluation requirements of the U.S. Navy and various other Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) activities in all U. S. military services, other U.S. Government agencies, civilian industry, and many foreign nations.
The addition of the new Vixen 500E AESA radar will give students practical, hands-on experience with an advanced, compact, lightweight, radar that combines Fire Control, Surveillance and Reconnaissance search capabilities, along with target acquisition, tracking and prosecution. The design is intended for installation in small fast-jets, fighter lead-ins, trainers & modified business aircraft, like the U.S. Navy C/RC-26.
The Navy´s C-26 is a versatile, multipurpose transport aircraft that provides rapid-response personnel movement and high-priority resupply to remote sites. The global C-26 fleets continue to expand their mission capability and functionality through the expansion and integration of special mission equipment packages to meet the ever-changing requirements of today´s Navy.
Based in San Antonio, TX, Elbit Systems of America´s Sustainment & Support Solutions provides aircraft modernization, sustainment, and worldwide contractor logistics support to a multitude of platforms such as the Metro Merlin, C/RC-26, King Air, C-21, C-23, UC-35, ATR 42/72, DO-328 and many other platforms.
Elbit Systems of America provides high performance products, system solutions, and support services focusing on the commercial aviation, defense, homeland security, cyber security, and medical instrumentation markets.
Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international high technology company engaged in a wide range of defense, homeland security and commercial programs throughout the world.