Boeing has been awarded a $208 million contract to supply F-15 Legion Pod infrared search-and-track (IRST) pods.
This sole-source acquisition is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2020.
The Pentagon announced under Release No: CR-164-18 that the contract provides for engineering, manufacturing, and development, production, integration, testing and deployment of F-15 Legion Pod IRST Pods.
“Legion Pod gives the F-15 the ability to search for and track targets in radar-denied environments,” says Steve Parker, vice-president F-15 Programs at Global Strike, Boeing Military Aircraft.
Although a USAF platform and upgrade programme, the choice for the F-15C IRST system has been left to Boeing. IRST enables the host aircraft to acquire and track airborne targets through the heat generated by the jet engine and through aerodynamic heating of the airframe as it travels through the atmosphere. Being a passive system, the target aircraft does not know that it is being tracked.
The pod is mounted on the centreline of the jet – mirroring what the Super Hornet Block III is doing – and the IRST21 long-wave infrared sensor being used is the same as the Navy version.
Lockheed Martin will produce more than 130 systems, which will be delivered for aircraft integration. Equipped with the company’s IRST21 infrared sensor and advanced data processing capabilities, Legion Pod provides long-range detection and tracking of airborne threats in radar-denied environments.
“With a rapid delivery schedule and unmatched sensing capabilities, Legion Pod will immediately enhance our warfighters’ operations and address a passive attack capability gap,” said Paul Lemmo, vice president of Fire Control/Special Operations Forces Contractor Logistics Support Services at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “Our proven partnerships with Boeing, including on our U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F IRST21 and international F-15 IRST products, will ensure successful execution of the F-15C Legion Pod program for the U.S. Air Force.”
Photo credit: Lockheed Martin
Artwork courtesy of AircraftProfilePrints.com
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