MELBOURNE, Fla., 30 July 2015. U.S. Navy seeking to enhance the targeting capabilities of flight crews on U.S. Navy and Australian F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft and EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft have selected Harris Corp. (NYSE:HRS) in Melbourne, Fla., to provide key avionics components.
The avionics are a critical part of the Distributed Targeting System which will significantly improve the aircraft's networking capabilities, enhance targeting precision, and shorten the time from target sensing to shooting, officials say. Harris won a two-year, $29 million full-rate production contract.
"The F/A-18 brings critical Navy fighter and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities for the U.S. and key allies such as Australia," says Ed Zoiss, president, Electronic Systems, Harris Corp. "Upgrading the mission- and image-processing prowess of the platform will help ensure that it continues to be the primary fighter aircraft for the U.S. Navy."
The combat-proven Super Hornet provides air dominance and precision strike capability, whereas the EA-18G Growler, derived from the Super Hornet, is an advanced airborne electronic attack platform. The Super Hornet and Growler programs support 60,000 jobs in the U.S. across 800 suppliers in 44 states, accounting for $3 billion in annual economic impact.
Harris provides advanced, technology-based solutions that solve government and commercial mission-critical challenges. The company has approximately $8 billion in annual revenue and about 23,000 employees — including 9,000 engineers and scientists — supporting customers in more than 125 countries.
