ITT Exelis to provide RF technology for fighter aircraft
CLIFTON, N.J., 13 May 2013. ITT Exelis (NYSE:XLS) won a $9.4 million contract from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, Texas, to supply the Continuous Wave Illuminator (CWI) subsystem for the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
The Exelis CWI special-purpose transmitter works with the aircraft fire control radar and mission computer to guide semi-active missiles when launched. Using radio-frequency (RF) energy, the system illuminates airborne targets to ensure the missile finds its target.
“The CWI technology plays a critical role in the mission success of U.S. and allied warfighters,” says Joe Rambala, vice president and general manager of Exelis integrated electronic warfare systems.
The new technology is less than half the volume and 60 percent of the weight of the legacy subsystem used on older fighter aircraft, says a company representative. The Exelis CWI subsystem employs the latest technologies for high-voltage power supply, digital control, microwave signal generation, and power amplifier circuits.
Engineers at Exelis Electronic Systems in Clifton, N.J., will perform the manufacturing work under this contract. Deliveries will be completed by December 2014.
Courtney E. Howard | Chief Editor, Intelligent Aerospace
Courtney enjoys writing about all things high-tech in PennWell’s burgeoning Aerospace and Defense Group, which encompasses Intelligent Aerospace and Military & Aerospace Electronics. She’s also a self-proclaimed social-media maven, mil-aero nerd, and avid avionics and space geek. Connect with Courtney at [email protected], @coho on Twitter, on LinkedIn, and on Google+.
