LOS ANGELES, 24 Jan. 2006. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems (L-3 IS) of Greenville, Texas, has awarded BAE Systems a subcontract worth approximately $6 million to provide digital autopilot systems for Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy P-3 Orion antisubmarine patrol aircraft.
The program team, headed by Korea Aerospace Industries and including L-3 IS, is providing complete mission system modernizations and service life extensions for eight ROK Navy P-3 aircraft.
BAE Systems' P-3 digital autopilot is a dual-redundant system that offers enhanced safety, high system reliability, and lower operating costs. It is lighter, more capable, and more reliable than the legacy analog systems, providing pilots with enhanced modes of operation that include control-wheel steering, navigation steering, a broad range of hold modes, and automatic approach to CAT-I landings.
"The digital autopilot system is lighter, more capable, and vastly more reliable than legacy P-3 autopilot systems," said Roger Shuler, P-3 program manager for BAE Systems. "The new autopilot will provide enhanced mission capability to the Korean Navy pilots as they perform their missions."
The digital autopilot comprises solid-state rate gyro assemblies, autopilot computers, flight sensors, and autopilot control panels. It provides ARINC 429/MIL-STD-1553 interfaces that are compatible with current and anticipated Global Air Traffic Management requirements. As an off-the-shelf solution, it can be installed as a form-fit-function replacement, or as part of a larger avionics upgrade program. The system has logged more than 30,000 hours with P-3 fleets worldwide, including those of the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Border Protection Service, the Canadian Department of National Defense, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the Royal Australian Air Force.
BAE Systems is an international company engaged in the development, delivery, and support of advanced defense and aerospace systems in the air, on land, at sea, and in space. The company designs, manufactures, and supports military aircraft, combat vehicles, surface ships, submarines, radar, avionics, communications, electronics, and guided weapon systems. For more information, see www.na.baesystems.com.
