ST. LOUIS, Feb. 3, 2012. Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced that it has started production of the new Distributed Targeting System (DTS) for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter. DTS provides enhanced targeting capability for the Super Hornet. It is part of the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F Network Centric Warfare Upgrades program and the F/A-18E/F Flight Plan.
The Navy granted approval for Low Rate Initial Production of DTS following successful completion of initial operational assessment flight testing at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Calif., and Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., between September 2010 and March 2011. Air Test and Evaluation Squadrons VX-31 and VX-23 conducted the tests.
DTS uses geo-registration to assist with targeting. Geo-registration technology compares images taken from tactical sensors with an onboard imagery database to produce target coordinates.
DTS is on schedule to achieve Initial Operational Capability in January 2013.
