US Army awards Apache life cycle contractor support contract to Longbow
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Longbow has been awarded a contract for the provision of life cycle contractor support (LCCS) for Longbow hardware on the US Army’s AH-64D and AH-64E attack helicopters.
Under the $92.8m contract, the Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman joint venture (JV) will provide integrated logistics support for Longbow fire control radar (FCR) systems installed onboard the AH-64D and AH-64E Apache helicopters.
In addition, the contract involves support for the AH-64E unmanned aerial system tactical common data link assembly (UTA) and upgraded FCR radar electronics unit (REU).
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control Longbow programmes president and director Tom Eldredge said the order is the first contract to provide integrated logistics support for multiple configurations of Longbow hardware on the AH-64D and E-model Apaches.
”Providing affordable depot repair for the LONGBOW FCR and UTA systems ensures supply availability and enables our customer to focus on their mission,” Eldredge said.
"The Longbow FCR helps Apache aircrews in detection, location, classification and prioritisation of multiple moving and stationary targets on land, water and in the air."
US Army Apache Sensors product manager lieutenant colonel Steven Van Riper said: ”This contract provides high-quality logistical and technical support for our existing AH-64D units and our newly fielded AH-64E aircraft, enabling our maintainers and aircrews to meet reliability and capability requirements.”
Under full-rate production since 1996, the Longbow FCR helps Apache aircrews in detection, location, classification and prioritisation of multiple moving and stationary targets on land, water and in the air, in all weather conditions from stand off ranges.
The new FCR REU lowers size, weight, maintenance and power requirements of AH-64E’s radar system, while the two-way, high-bandwidth datalink, UTA enables aircrews to receive and transmit data and control the flight paths, sensors and lasers of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) from very long ranges.
Work under the LCCS contract is scheduled to continue until 2016.
Image: US Army’s AH-64 Apache attack helicopter during its flight. Photo: copyright of Lockheed Martin Corporation.
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