NEWTOWN, Conn. -- Boeing has recently been awarded $219,600,000 for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order N0001918F1597 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0001). This order procures non-recurring efforts associated with Engineering Change Proposal 6503 for the design, development, test and integration of the conformal fuel tank in support of the F/A-18. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California (41 percent); St. Louis, Missouri (40 percent); Patuxent River, Maryland (17 percent); and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2022.
The F/A-18, along with other legacy fighter platforms, are undergoing multi-billion dollar international and U.S. upgrade programs.
Boeing offers the Advanced Super Hornet, an update of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. These upgrades will be offered as new-builds or for retrofit. Many of the features are already being retrofitted onto the U.S. naval fleet. One of the Advanced Super Hornet upgrades is the shoulder-mounted conformal fuel tank. The conformal fuel tank can hold up to 3,500 lbs of fuel, for a range increase of 125 nm.
Other Advanced Super Hornet upgrades include: infrared search and track; EW self-protection (not the full suite found on the Growler); a new display; more capable computers and networking; and AESA radar. Options include: an enclosed weapons pod - cuts radar signature by up to 50 percent; and an improved engine.
The Typhoon is undergoing a conformal fuel tank retrofit as part of its P4E upgrade program, and conformal fuel tanks are offered as part of Boeing's very attractive F-15 2040C offering. Robertson Fuel Systems offers a conformal fuel tank for BHI Squared Commercial Hawks, which are aftermarket commercial offerings of the UH-60 Blackhawk. The modification carries 100 gallons of additional fuel, and increases the range of the commercial S-70 by 124 nautical miles. Arista Aviation offers the Arista Hawk, which includes modifications such as auxiliary fuel tanks.
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