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EP-3E Passes Operational Testing
Story Number: NNS041008-06
Release Date: 10/8/2004 12:27:00 PM
From Maritime Surveillance Aircraft Program Public Affairs
PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (NNS) -- The EP-3E Aries II Sensor System Improvement Program (SSIP) upgrade passed a review by the Commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force in September.
A final report on the operational assessment of the fleet issue 4.0 upgrade was issued Sept. 7, and found the system operationally effective and operationally suitable, reporting that this system upgrade is a “significant improvement in capability over previous versions” and “is recommended for fleet introduction.”
“This was a significant accomplishment,” said Maritime Surveillance Aircraft Program Manager Capt. Steven R. Eastburg. “The program is now poised to deliver a tremendous warfighting upgrade to the fleet. In fact, we’ve already received input from the fleet that this upgrade is delivering outstanding results.”
Operational testing consisted of 16 missions flown in the Western Pacific area over a 32-day period. This resulted in the accumulation of 129 flight hours. During the combined Developmental/Operational Testing phase, ground and flight-testing hours were also factored into the overall assessment.
Critical operational issues (COIs) examined during the assessment ranged from basic surveillance functions through safety/airworthiness. All COIs were resolved with a grade of satisfactory, with one exception - the Joint Interoperability COI will remain partially resolved until Link-16 is fully implemented on the EP-3E, and completes Joint Interoperability Test Center certification.
Developmental testing on the SSIP occurred in fiscal year 2003, and the work was split between the software integration lab at the Raytheon Technical Service Company facility in Indianapolis, Ind., and here in Patuxent River, Md., at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division. More than 1,200 hours of ground testing helped assess the functionality of the upgrades, that focus on enhanced signals intelligence collection, and an improved communication suite.
The SSIP is the current version of operationally deployed EP-3Es. Two squadrons, Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 1, based at Whidbey Island, Wash., and VQ-2, based at Naval Air Facility Rota, Spain, employ a total of 12 EP-3E aircraft.
Currently, five P-3C airframes are undergoing conversion to become EP-3Es. When completed, these additional aircraft will provide a sufficient inventory of primary allotment aircraft and backup allotment aircraft to sustain an inventory of 12 EP-3Es throughout the platform’s remaining life.
The Joint Airborne Signals Intelligence Architecture Modification Common Configured EP-3E is the next generation of the Navy’s premier airborne manned intelligence platform, due to reach the fleet in 2005. JCC upgrades will initially be installed on the five converted P-3C airframes. All other EP-3Es will receive modification in conjunction with phase depot maintenance or Special Structural Inspections.
For related news, visit the NAVAIR - Naval Air Systems Command Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/navair.
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