News Review: NGC delivers AN/AAQ-37 EO-DAS operational software for JSF | ADM Sep 2010

Northrop Grumman has delivered the operational software package for the AN/AAQ-37 Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System (EO-DAS) to Lockheed Martin for integration into the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.

“EO-DAS is the first capability of its kind, providing pilots with unprecedented full, 360-degree, situational awareness around an aircraft,” Mark Rossi, Northrop Grumman program development director for the Joint Strike Fighter radar and Electro Optical Distributed Aperture System said.

“This software delivery represents the final, full-performance, operational flight program-approved version, following an in-depth, eight-year product development and test phase.

“This delivery marks the critical first step in a series of milestones that will provide the warfighter with the most game-changing technologies available in the avionics industry.”

Since 2005, Northrop Grumman has flown the DAS on its BAC 1-11 test bed aircraft verifying performance requirements.

DAS is currently undergoing integration and testing at Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems Integration Laboratory in Fort Worth.

Following system integration, EO-DAS will fly on Lockheed Martin’s Cooperative Avionics Test Bed (CATBird) and eventually on an actual F-35 in accordance with Lockheed Martin’s scheduled flight plan.

The AN/AAQ-37 DAS is a high resolution omni-directional infrared sensor system that provides advanced spherical situational awareness capability, including missile and aircraft detection, track and warning capabilities for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

DAS also gives a pilot 360-degree spherical day/night vision capability, with the capability of seeing through the floor of the aircraft.