Posted on 03/30/2005 4:01:59 PM PST by Righty_McRight
OWEGO, NY, March 30, 2005 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] received a $37.8 million contract to provide the U.S. Air Force with Precision Engagement production kits to modify A/OA-10 aircraft. The entire A-10 fleet will be modified over the next five years for an estimated total contract value of $168 million.
The Precision Engagement modification will enable the A-10 to use advanced precision guided weapons, including the Joint Direct Attack Munition and the Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser. The modification also adds the capability for advanced targeting pods to improve pilots’ situational awareness.
“The Precision Engagement modification allows aircrews to engage targets from a higher altitude using smart weapons,” said Jeff Bantle, vice president and general manager of Multi-Mission Solutions, Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Owego. “This not only provides A-10 pilots with greater safety, but it also gives them the capability to more swiftly and accurately eliminate threats.”
The kits include all of the components necessary for the Air Force to configure A-10 aircraft with the Precision Engagement capability. The upgrade also includes adding a Central Interface Control Unit (CICU), which provides a digital stores management system, two multifunction color displays, and new cockpit controls, and doubles the direct current generator capacity.
“These modifications significantly strengthen an aircraft our warfighters rely on for the impressive close air support it provides,” Bantle said. “We’re committed to ensuring its reliability and utility so our warfighters can achieve mission success.”
Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Owego is the prime contractor on the Precision Engagement modification, under the direction of the A-10 program office (508th Attack Sustainment Squadron), leading a team composed of BAE Systems, Southwest Research Institute and Northrop Grumman. The production kits, a result of work by Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Southwest Research Institute, are one component of the Precision Engagement program.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2004 sales of $35.5 billion.
Contact:
Leslie Holoweiko,
(607) 751-2598;
e-mail, leslie.holoweiko@lmco.com
It's definately a roller coaster with the off again & on again talk of ditching the bird then keeping the bird then ditching the bird then updating the bird...
It's a great machine...hope it stays around for a long time...the ultimate whoop-ass vehicle!
Love you pic of the Jug.
Ping for A-10 article
I think it's a better machine for killing tanks and wiping out terrorist than Apache helicopters.
"...staring down the gattling gun of an incoming warthog"
You mean the General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger 30mm gatling cannon. User has a choice of armour-piercing incendiary or high-explosive/incendiary rounds, 70 of which are fired per second (4200/min) and each packing 9000 lbs of recoil thrust.
The Brady Center for Airborne Violence is gravely concerned.
The A-10 ROCKS ! There will never, ever, ever be a comparable CAS solution for ground forces in a jam. No way, unless there is an A-10-A2 (or some 22nd Century model those lines, A-10-A3, etc).
Idiots who allege that UAVs and "multi purpose" fighters can REPLACE the A-10 and can also "loiter" over the battlefield in a similar manner, take extreme punishment, and carefully pick off ground targets with a cornucopia of weapons are full of absolute and total B.S. and should be fired and/or demoted with extreme prejudice.
Same deal with their limp-wristed "lighter force" liberal "fellow-travelers" who can not TOLERATE that the U.S. has the M1A1/M1A2 Abrams, the King of the battlefield, which can take punishment and dish it out and take it on the ground. (T.U.S.K. upgrade = a GOOD idea).
Let's hope that all of the proponents of the "lighter-force-only" (emphasis on only, granted we do need some 48 hour rapid reaction forces..) lose all the bureaucratic wars and get booted out for good. Same deal with opponents of the A-10.
To be against the A-10 (and M1 Abrams), you almost have to be anti-American...
Good thing.
Amen.
Now we need the 22nd Century version, A-10-A2/A3, etc. No UAVs or F.x fighters for the sustained loitering CAS role. No way.
Use some UAVs, use some F.# for limited CAS roles, but when the going gets tough, we will always need A-10s. Only an anti-American would be against the A-10.... and its much-needed successor for the 22nd Century.
Send in some UAVs, fine. Hit some targets at speed with an F16 or F15/E etc etc, strafe with a B52 run, etc, but let's make DAMN SURE A-10s are around in VERY large numbers for a long time. The A-10 is definitely a good use of taxpayer money. I consider the A-10 to be a direct investment in our Liberty.
The A-10 is extremely versatile, yet tough. It meets the tank-killer role of the Cold War "heavy" anti-armor Fulda Gap type scenario, yet it is also nimble enough to open up a serious can of whoopass on Taliturds trying to ambush any of our convoys in Afghanistan. An asset that is adept at “first World” “heavy” scenarios yet also versatile in low intensity conflict and UW campaigns is almost unheard of. Wow. Talk about a double-edged sword.
The A-10 is Air Cav., a veritable flying tank, useful in both traditional, conventional land combat doctrines and UW. Only a Commie would be vindictive enough to strip this multifaceted asset from our arsenal.
BTW, if someone wants to “discontinue” the A-10, I say pull the security clearance.
Mega Ping.
Good news for our guys on the ground, good news indeed.
It's about time some of the ivory tower REMFs did NOT get their way. I wonder how many liberals and leftists are PO'd this asset will continue. I wonder. Let's keep the A-10 flying, and when technology, guidance and weapons systems change, why don't we introduce the new, improved, A-10-A2 or A-10-A3? Eh?
America's enemies must be PISSED! Ha ha!
Any unit that comes under attack or is ambushed should be one call away from a well-maintained squadron of A-10s. Of course have some F.x's fly by here and there and have a UAV or two shoot a couple of hellfires, but Taliban, look out, the Warthog is on the way! hehehehehe
What a great decision to keep the A-10 flying and updated -
I agree, Chinese tanks will be difficult to move ...
after they have been shot up and are "brewing up" cooking off all their ammo....
We need night lights, and what better to light up the night sky than a division or two of Chinese tanks set alight stopped dead in their tracks, eh?
Yep! That's the baby right there! Guaranteed to instantly delete jihadis on contact (and cool as heck as well). LOL.
"“The Precision Engagement modification allows aircrews to engage targets from a higher altitude using smart weapons,” said Jeff Bantle, vice president and general manager of Multi-Mission Solutions, Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Owego. “This not only provides A-10 pilots with greater safety, but it also gives them the capability to more swiftly and accurately eliminate threats.”"
Very Very Very GOOD!!!!Strong America very good Thank you"Paleo Conservative"
A-10 ping.
/jasper
Thanks for the ping. The A-10 is one of the few aircraft that was specifically designed for a specific mission (kill tanks and other armored vehicles) and then kept assigned to that mission. Nothing else does it well as the Warthog.
There is little reliable info on China developing a tank with a 155mm gun.It's all been bits & pieces & honestly,I give it scant credibility as a tank with a 155mm serves no greater purpose than a heavily armoured SPH.From what I've seen,most Chinese tanks are a reflection of the Soviet medium tank concept & are in the range of the T-72 & T-80.Their main tank is the Type-88/96 series(built to compete against the T-72) ,backed up by obsolete T-59s.Their most modern tank is the Type-98,which weighs around 50 tonnes & like the Type-88/90,both have a 125 mm smootbore gun.These tanks are all far lighter(& fuel efficient) than a M1 & are far more mobile unless you are talking about sea transportation.The Chinese also have modified Type-63 amphibious tanks(27 tonnes +105mm gun) & you could expect these to be in the front line if they invade Taiwan.
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