Posted on 02/18/2014 9:08:08 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The Navy’s Infrared Search and Track (IRST), a passive, long-range sensor that searches for and detects heat sources, successfully completed its first flight aboard an F/A-18 Super Hornet on Feb. 11, from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
The system can simultaneously track multiple targets and provide a highly effective air-to-air targeting capability, even when encountering advanced threats equipped with radar-jamming technology.
Because IRST is passive, unlike radar systems, it does not give off radiation and is harder to detect.
“Adding an advanced infrared sensor to the Super Hornet broadens the Navy’s warfighting ability,” said Capt. Frank Morley, the F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office’s (PMA-265) program manager. “Combined with the Super Hornet’s advanced radar and the Growler’s electronic-attack radar-jamming ability, IRST will transform the way the Super Hornet conducts air-to-air operations and allows the fleet to dominate the skies in all threat environments. It is truly a game-changing capability.”
The requirement for an IRST on the Super Hornet is the direct result of advancements in threat electronic-warfare systems. The system, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, provides the F/A-18 Super Hornet an alternate air-to-air targeting system in a high-threat electronic-attack environment.
“I am proud of how we have worked with our industry partners, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, to bring this much-needed detection capability one step closer to the fleet,” said Brian Hall, deputy program manager for Spectrum Dominance in PMA-265. “As the current threat environment continues to evolve, PMA-265 continues to advance the fleet and warfighter in order to stay ahead of these threats.”
IRST is just one of the Navy’s F/A-18E/F flight-plan capabilities designed to ensure the Block II Super Hornet will stay ahead of known and emerging threats through 2025 and beyond.
Other F/A-18E/F Super Hornet next-generation capabilities included in the flight plan are advanced fused sensors, Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Counter Electronic Attack (CEA), Distributed Targeting System (DTS), Multi-sensor Integration (MSI), Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW), IP-Based Linked Networks and advanced air-to-ground and air-to-air precision weapons operating on an open-architecture backplane.
“With the successful completion of the IRST first flight, we are looking forward to moving on to the next steps required to field this invaluable capability,” Morley said.
The crew of the F/A-18 Super Hornet carrying the Navy’s Infrared Search and Track (IRST), a long-wave infrared sensor system that searches for and detects heat sources within its field of regard, inspects the aircraft Feb. 11 before the maiden flight with the pod at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)
>> field of regard
What does that mean?
How long before Obama gives this technology to the Chinese, just to keep the field even?
The Chinese have been using Russian IRST systems for about 20 years now. Those are inferior to the new ones on the Super Hornet, but its not alien technology to them.
proprietrary, you’d need an NDA to find out.
- Field of regard: the area covered for the detector of the system when pointing to all mechanically posible positions.
It's field of view, and then some.
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For example, the current generation of night vision goggle has a forty degree field of view, how much you see without moving your head. The field of regard is how much you can see limited by the field of you, plus how far you can move your head.
Thanks!
They already have it (the new IRST). My $$.
You’re paying for it. I don’t mind explaining the unclassified portions of it.
Great explanation!
A “nice to have” weapon ONLY if odumbo will allow its use. Reminds me of our troops that can’t shoot real bullets, have weapons but no ammo and lastly, cannot fire unless fired upon. Such order definitely tie the hands of our brave and noble fighters.
In today's America, we can't be sure we didn't get the technology from China.
I wonder how well it can “see” the F-22?
The F-14A+ and the F-14D had operational IRST systems installed years ago. And it was much smaller than the pod in that photo.
!
So that’s why there’s a whole gaggle of ‘em parked on the ramp here...pretty cool stuff.
I imagine that this will get refined to a smaller package, ‘cause man, that thing is huge.
The newer advanced super hornet variants are being offered with an integrated solution
Man, that’d be one expensive centerline tank to punch during a bad cat shot.
Good thing that Russian fighters don't carry IRST pods, and even if they do it's a good thing it's on the underside of the aircraft were it can't look up. Oh wait...
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