Challenges remain for HUG

Current Phases

Phase 2. 2 of HUG commenced in 2004 when two prototype Hornets underwent upgrade and test work at Boeing’s Cecil Field facility in Florida.

The 2. 2 upgrade includes the addition of the jam-resistant Link 16 datalink, colour display screens, a digital moving map, the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), and a new ejection seat harness (see p56 this issue). The cockpit upgrades have significantly enhanced the pilot’s situational awareness through the use of much higher resolution screens, the map display, and the ability to transfer threat and/or targeting data between fighters, from other platforms such as Wedgetail AEW&C, or to special forces or Joint Terminal Air Controllers (JTACs) on the ground.

Of the 71 RAAF Hornets, “57 aircraft have been upgraded, with all squadrons now fully

Questions as to the future of the major structural element of the program, the centre barrel replacement, remain.

equipped with upgraded (2. 2) aircraft,” a defence spokesman told AA. “Phase 2. 2 remains on schedule and within budget. ” By design, the situational awareness benefits brought to the Hornet via HUG 2. 2 will further enhance the aircraft’s capability once the F/A-18F Super Hornets arrive from 2010.

The F/A-18F’s Link 16 datalink will allow it to share high resolution ground mapping imagery or airborne targets, identified from longer ranges with its vastly more capable APG-79 Active Electronically Steered Array (AESA) radar and other sensors, with the F/A-18A/B ‘classic’ Hornets when these aircraft fly together, thus allowing the Super Hornets to act as true force multipliers and capability enhancers for the ‘classics’. Defence says it was not considered necessary to change the scope of the HUG 2. 2 upgrade after the Super Hornet acquisition was made.

There have also been reports that the ‘high forehead’ shape and extra weight of the JHMCS helmets have meant envelope restrictions in which a pilot can eject from the F/A-18 have been imposed to avoid possible neck injury. However, Defence disputes this.

“There are no F/A-18 flight envelope restrictions for ejection,” AA was told. “The JHMCS has been cleared to use at up to 450kt and has been accepted into service. ” Meanwhile, the testing elements of Phase 2. 3 are underway, with the first RAAF Hornet currently in the US for flight testing of Raytheon’s ALR‑67(V)3 radar warning receiver.

“Testing of the installed performance of the ALR‑67(V)3 has been completed on the prototype aircraft at (NAS) China Lake (in California),” the spokesman said. “Testing included systems integration assessments, as well as flights against some representative radar types, both air-to-air and surface-to-air. Further testing is being conducted on some reliability aspects of individual components. Testing is on schedule to permit fleet incorporation by the middle of 2008. ” “Integration of a variety of components from different manufacturers is a complex task,” the spokesman continued.

“Defence aims to integrate a Raytheon RWR, an Israeli made jammer pod and a Swedish made CMDS onto a Boeing aircraft.

Successfully accomplishing this will require the ongoing management of communication, intellectual property and security challenges throughout the integration process. Additional investment is being made in personnel and contracts to manage these integration challenges. ” A sub Phase 2. 3C will follow which will see a complementary radio frequency jammer acquired and integrated with the ALR-67(V)3, along with an externally carried Elta EL/ L‑8222 electronic countermeasures (ECM) pod for additional self protection in high threat environments. Defence says that the Aerospace Operational Support Group (AOSG) at RAAF Edinburgh “will be performing further testing to address the aircraft/store compatibility aspects of the new ECM pod, however, all integration testing of this system will occur in the USA. AOSG will also be including HUG 2. 3 elements (presumably the ECM pod and CDMS) in the upcoming flutter testing for (the AGM-158) JASSM (missile). ” “The provision of 16 aircraft installed with the ALR 67(V)3 will provide an interim initial operational capability (IOC) by the end of November 2008. The first aircraft is scheduled to be inducted in May 2008 with mature production to meet IOC. Technical completion is scheduled for 31 August 2012. ” “The EW upgrade will be executed in three phases; 16 aircraft will be fitted with the ALR‑67(V)3 by December 2008. Modification of aircraft for the mature EW configuration will commence by the middle of 2009. This is referred to as the IOC configuration and will include the new RWR, BOL supplementary CMDS and provision for the ELTA 8222 jammer.

FOC will occur in 2011 with the release of the software required to integrate the ECM into the remainder of the EW suite. ” The Phase 2. 4 program to acquire a replacement electro-optical and infra-red (EO/IR) targeting pod to replace the ageing AN/AAS-38 NITE Hawk pod has now achieved IOC and is rolling out towards FOC later this year.

Despite earlier reports that the US Marine Corps could only carry the Northrop Grumman Litening AT pod on the centre-line station five, an adaptor ‘plank’ was devised which gives the pod adequate clearance for the more conventional station four left ‘shoulder’ location on the RAAF’s aircraft. Because the plank was measured off an early production RAAF Hornet, initially it did not fit so easily on later Lot build jets, but the DMO says a fix has been developed.

“Although there were some initial fitment issues identified in 2007, these issues have now been resolved by using a revised fitment“Defence aims to integrate a Raytheon RWR, an Israeli made jammer pod and a Swedish made counter measures dispenser onto a Boeing aircraft. ”process for the pod adapter. The revised process required the attachment bolts to be tightened in a different order. ” The carriage of the pod on station four allows for a greater external fuel load with a centreline auxiliary tank, although a centreline positioning of the pod gives it a greater field of view because it is directly under the aircraft.

“The FLIR pod is currently carried on station four (but) Defence will begin to accept modification kits to allow the carriage of the pod on station five in the last half of 2008. The US Marine Corps currently operates Litening AT off station four and five. ” While the Litening AT is currently fulfilling an important role on the ‘classic’ Hornets, it will not be acquired for the F/A-18Fs.

“The ATFLIR was selected for Australia’s Super Hornets because Litening has only been cleared for use on the older A-D Hornets. There is no intent to operate the ATFLIR on the Classic Hornets. Although ATFLIR and Litening do have some differences, both are considered to be exceptionally capable of meeting the Air Force’s requirements into the next decade. ” Perhaps the greatest ongoing risk remaining for the HUG program, and the one which will allow the fleet to fulfil its life of type and make full use of the enhancements brought about by the earlier phases of the program, is that of the Phase 3. 2C CBR program.

The first RAAF prototype aircraft, A21-16, was sent to Canada for fitting of its new centre barrel and returned last October. Following a rebuild at Williamtown, that aircraft successfully returned to operational service on February 18. But despite the concept being proven, the prototype work didn’t go as smoothly as planned, with a gross under-estimation of the number of components, mostly fasteners, that were required to rebuild the aircraft after the CBR. There are also serious doubts about whether the mostly civilian Hornet maintenance and upgrade workforce at RAAF Williamtown has the capacity to conduct an almost 50 aircraft CBR production program in Australia, especially with manufacturer Boeing not having had any input into similar upgrades in the US and Canada.

Meanwhile, work on the second RAAF CBR is underway at L-3 MAS’s facility at Mirabel near Montreal in Canada. “The second aircraft is nearly half way through the modification process in Mirabel and remains on schedule,” the DMO spokesman said. “A total of 10 aircraft will undergo CBR in Mirabel, including the (first) prototype. Longer term production plans and schedule are subject to any change in the Hornet planned withdrawal date. ”

Moving Forward

There may be more to come on the CBR program, with talk within industry and Defence that the RAAF is considering abandoning the CBR program and looking at other options, these include possibly acquiring a second batch of Super Hornets, or perhaps re-certifying the ‘classics’ for a longer life than the current 4500 hours or so, similar to what Canada has done with its CF-18s.

Canada reportedly ceased CBR production last year after completing work on just 13 of its 80 jets, and has re-certified its CF-18s for flying up to 8000 hours, which should take them out to 2020. Instead, the Canadians will conduct more frequent inspections, and sleeving, blending and machining work on any manageable fatigue issues discovered, similar to the RAAF’s ongoing HUG Phase 3. 1 work. But this may not necessarily work for the RAAF as the Canadian CF-18s are operated in different environments and scenarios to those of the RAAF F/A-18s.

DMO says it expects to make a decision on how many CBRs will be done and where by mid year. “The location for future centre barrel replacements will depend on the number required. Further research is currently being conducted by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) that may provide some opportunities to reduce CBR work.

It is anticipated that the outcomes of this research will be known by the end of 2008. This research is unlikely to require additional HUG 3. 1 type work to reach the higher fatigue life limits. ”