PLANO, Texas. U.S. Air Force officials sought to upgrade the mission computer on F-16 supersonic multirole fighter jet military aircraft. They found their solution at Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN) in Plano, Texas – selecting the company to develop and produce the new F-16 Modular Mission Computer Upgrade.
"The new mission computer is a game changer for the F-16," says Josh Cobbs, program manager, electronic warfare systems for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. "The brain of the F-16, this mission computer can process more information faster, allowing the pilot to put weapons on targets with greater reliability."
The new mission computer offers more than two times the current processing power and 40 times the current memory, equipping Air Force pilots with near-fifth-generation aircraft computing power, officials say. Based on commercial technology, Raytheon's MMCU combines multi-core processing and cybersecurity with next-generation, high-speed computing and high-speed data networks. It serves as the foundation for potential new advanced sensors and capabilities for the Air Force F-16 military aircraft, including next-generation weapon systems.
"The F-16 remains the backbone of the global allied fighting force, and the mission computer will deliver capabilities to combat emerging threats alongside fifth-generation fighters well into the future," says Travis Slocumb, vice president of electronic warfare systems for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a fixed-wing, single-engine, fourth-generation multi-mission fighter, and the MMCU is fundamental to increasing its combat capabilities.
Raytheon Company, with 2015 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees, specializes in defense, civil government, and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 94 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.
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Global Aerospace Technology NetworkIntelligent Aerospace, the global aerospace technology network, reports on the latest tools, technologies, and trends of vital importance to aerospace professionals involved in air traffic control, airport operations, satellites and space, and commercial and military avionics on fixed-wing, rotor-wing, and unmanned aircraft throughout the world.
