Air Force releases RFI to repair ‘battled damaged’ F-15SA fighter

The U.S. Air Force is conducting market research to identify potential sources that may possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet the qualifications to repair a “battled damaged F-15SA aircraft for the Royal Saudi Air Force.”

Robins Air Force Base in Georgia announced the work in a Request For Information (RFI) released Thursday, although the actual document is dated Jan. 26, 2021.

The Royal Saudi Air Forces received their final F-15SA fighter in December 2020. Produced by Boeing, 84 F-15SA fighters were delivered as part of a $29 billion foreign military sales agreement signed in 2010.

“The government is conducting market research to identify potential sources that possess the repair data, expertise, capabilities, facilities, and experience to meet qualification requirements to repair the aircraft,” the Air Force said in the RFI. The aircraft requires “replacement of the Aft Fuselage and reinstallation of the wing and tail assemblies.”

The level of security clearance and amount of foreign participation in this requirement has not been determined, the Air Force said. “The government does not own or have access to the data for these items. The government has determined that this system is a proprietary item.

“The contractor will be responsible for furnishing all material, support equipment, tools, test equipment, and services.” The aircraft must be restored to a full mission-capable flyable condition.

F-15QA

In August 2021, Boeing, in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force and Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF), celebrated the naming and rollout of Qatar’s advanced F-15 jet fighter, the F-15QA.

Boeing plans to establish and operate an aircrew and maintenance training center for the QEAF at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar through 2024 while also providing in-country spares and logistics support once aircraft are delivered.

BAE Systems awarded contract for Lot 17 F-35 electronic warfare systems

BAE Systems has received $491 million in contracts from Lockheed Martin to produce Block 4 electronic warfare (EW) systems for future Lot 17 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, adding to the 1,200 F-35 EW systems it has delivered to date.

 “The Block 4 EW system will offer greater situational awareness, enhanced survivability and increased capabilities to counter modern threats, and is upgradable to address evolving threats,” said Lisa Aucoin, vice president of F-35 Solutions at BAE Systems. “Our adaptable EW system will help warfighters execute missions today and into the future, and will reduce engineering and sustainment costs for the U.S. Department of Defense and its allies.”

The Block 4 EW systems will include significantly upgraded hardware and software that improves sensing and signal-processing capabilities. New, high-performance sensors will boost the system’s ability to detect difficult-to-observe threats and more threats simultaneously.

“Our modern facilities allow us to manufacture complex, intricate electronics at scale to deliver an affordable EW capability,” said Chris Rossi, director of F-35 production at BAE Systems. “The flexibility of our active production line will allow us to seamlessly transition to the Block 4 design without skipping a beat.”

The AN/ASQ-239 provides F-35s with fully integrated offensive and defense EW capabilities, including long-range threat warning, self-protection, and targeting support. It provides 360-degree, full-spectrum situational awareness and rapid-response capabilities—allowing the F-35 to evade, engage, counter, and jam threats, and reach well-defended targets.

The AN/ASQ-239 system is designed and manufactured at BAE Systems’ facilities in Manchester and Nashua, N.H. Meanwhile, flight testing of a new advanced EW system for the F-35 continues under a program known as Project Heisenberg.

EW Upgrade Flight Testing

Last month, the program office for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter said it was ready to award BAE Systems a sole-source contract to conduct phase 3 flight trials of an advanced future electronic warfare and countermeasures suite known as AN/ASQ-239A.

Lot 18 order

In September, the F-35 program office announced they intend to solicit and negotiate multiple contract actions with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth, Texas, for the development of additional F-35 Lightning II jets in their lot 18 order.

The proposed contract actions will provide for a total of 115 aircraft in lot 18 (75 F-35As, 25 F-35Bs and 15 F-35Cs).