Lockheed Martin Delivers New Integrated Weapons System to A-10C Flight Test Program
 (Source: Lockheed Martin; issued March 21, 2006)
 
 

OWEGO, NY, --- The Lockheed Martin-led A-10 Prime Team has delivered a new weapons delivery system to the U.S. Air Force's A-10C flight-test program. Called the Digital Stores Management System (DSMS), the new system is integrated with the Sniper and LITENING targeting pods to give the aircraft a 'smart' weapons capability for its close air support role.  

"The new system automates many of the weapons control functions that A-10 pilots today perform manually," said Roger Il Grande, A-10 program director at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego. "Integrated with either targeting pod, the DSMS will vastly improve an A-10 pilot's ability to identify targets, and provide laser guidance of precision air-to-ground weapons."  

The U.S. Air Force has designated the Joint Direct Attack Munitions and the Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser guidance kits for the A-10C aircraft. Each kit converts existing free-fall bombs into accurately guided "smart" weapons, allowing pilots to attack from higher altitudes and in adverse weather conditions.  

The Prime Team delivered the latest DSMS software to U.S. Air Force flight test as scheduled. The Air Force has been conducting flight-testing of the A-10C at Eglin Air Force Base, FL, and at Nellis Air Force Base, NV, since early 2005. Deployments of A-10C aircraft to operational squadrons will begin in early 2007.  

The DSMS weapons capability is the latest in a series of upgrades delivered by the Prime Team for the A-10 Precision Engagement (PE) program. PE includes a new cockpit instrument panel with two 5x5-inches multi-function color displays, a new stick grip and right throttle to provide true hands-on-throttle and-stick (HOTAS) fingertip control of aircraft systems, and six weapons pylons upgraded to precision weapons-capability. Lockheed Martin is delivering the cockpit hardware as kits to the Air Force for installation by the depot at Hill Air Force Base, UT.  

Using the HOTAS, the pilot can designate the targeting pod to monitor an area of interest, confirm target identification, and provide laser guidance to the weapon, whether from the same aircraft or another airborne platform.  

Integration of the targeting pods and DSMS took place in Lockheed Martin's state-of-the-art A-10 Systems Integration Lab (SIL) in Owego, NY, where A-10 pilots validated and refined the mechanization of the upgrade before official release of the software to ground and flight test. "The pilot reviews saved significant ground and flight test time," said Il Grande.  

Built by Lockheed Martin in 2003, the SIL duplicates the aircraft's wiring and cabling infrastructure, and is outfitted with actual weapon hardware, missile seekers, suspension racks and rocket launchers to emulate an A-10 aircraft on the flight line.  

And they added a spike you can cook hot dogs on the muzzle flame from the 30mm!  Cool!

bump

Quoted: Lockheed Martin Delivers New Integrated Weapons System to A-10C Flight Test Program  (Source: Lockheed Martin; issued March 21, 2006) OWEGO, NY,

Interesting whats coming out of little tiny Owego these days. This, the new Prez chopper, etc.

I really like the capabilities of the Sniper targeting pod. I have videos of some of the testing. Unf*ingbelievable resolution of the optics compared to the older generation of pods.

A-10'S FUCKING ROCK !

Damn.   That bird is better than porn.

Awesome aircraft.  


CMOS

I didn't think it could get any uglier, but they've succeeded.  

The pitot tube (orange probe) is for testing and data collection purposes.  

Quoted: The pitot tube (orange probe) is for testing and data collection purposes.

I thought it was the Chesty Puller USMC comemerative version.................... with a bayonet.

The A-10 is the coolest damn plane we have

It may be ugly, but its the sh*t for close ground support.

The A-10 would benfit greatly IMHO from the Joint Mounted Helmet Cueing System that F-15/F-18's are getting.

and they're going to replace it with a F-35?



that jet will fly until they build something that looks just like it.

no glass jawed little stealth go-fast lawn dart could EVER do what the A-10 can.

+1000

I'm glad those are on our side

If i could fly any plane the AF has,this would be the one.

Quoted: and they're going to replace it with a F-35? that jet will fly until they build something that looks just like it. no glass jawed little stealth go-fast lawn dart could EVER do what the A-10 can.

The A-10 AND the B-52 will be around for a LONG time......

Quoted: Quoted: and they're going to replace it with a F-35? that jet will fly until they build something that looks just like it. no glass jawed little stealth go-fast lawn dart could EVER do what the A-10 can. The A-10 AND the B-52 will be around for a LONG time......

BIG +1!!!


Oswego isn't far from me.  Kind of neat!


-K

Quoted: The A-10 AND the B-52 will be around for a LONG time......

the guys who fly the last B-2 to the boneyard at Davis-Mothan will get in a B-52 to fly home.

That's cool.  Someone kick my ass for not joining up in the AF when I was the age to be making that decision.  I wanted to fly those suckers but the rumor at the time is that they were going to be replaced with an F-16 with a centerline gun pod that would shoot the same 30mm ammo.  If I'd known they were keeping them I probably would have gone through with it.

Quoted: The pitot tube (orange probe) is for testing and data collection purposes.

Shit, I was sure it was for jousting if you run into an enemy fighter.

Quoted: Quoted: The A-10 AND the B-52 will be around for a LONG time...... the guys who fly the last B-2 to the boneyard at Davis-Mothan will get in a B-52 to fly home.

If you believe that BS I have some fine land in Florida to sell ya.    The POS BUFF will be completely out of the inventory before I retire (thats 7 years).  The writing is on the wall, do some reading (start with aviation week).  The B-2 will be flying long after that, as will the B-1, they are just that much more capable.  The B-1 has 1% (not a typo) of the frontal RCS of a BUFF, would you want to fly an antique into China?  The utility of the BUFF as a big fat bomb truck is just about done, UCAVs will be taking over complely soon enough...


Back on topic, though, the new upgrades to the A-10, along with the Hog-up structural upgrades will keep them viable for a really long time.  They already got new wing boxes, new power wiring, are getting engine upgrades and new avionics.  

Mods for the A-10..........oh hell yes!

Keep em' flying.

God Bless the men and women who buil 'em, crew 'em, and fly 'em.

-markl32, direct beneficiary of A10 close air support.  

.

And to think they were going to be junked not long ago.  It's always been one of my favorite planes as well.

Quoted: If you believe that BS I have some fine land in Florida to sell ya.    The POS BUFF will be completely out of the inventory before I retire (thats 7 years).  The writing is on the wall, do some reading (start with aviation week).  The B-2 will be flying long after that, as will the B-1, they are just that much more capable.  The B-1 has 1% (not a typo) of the frontal RCS of a BUFF, would you want to fly an antique into China?  The utility of the BUFF as a big fat bomb truck is just about done, UCAVs will be taking over complely soon enough...

So the media reports that the USAF is trying to get another 40 years out of the B52 are wrong?

Quoted: Quoted: [Oswego isn't far from me.  Kind of neat! -K

Don't confuse Oswego and Owego. It's easy to do.

Quoted: That's cool.  Someone kick my ass for not joining up in the AF when I was the age to be making that decision.  I wanted to fly those suckers but the rumor at the time is that they were going to be replaced with an F-16 with a centerline gun pod that would shoot the same 30mm ammo.  If I'd known they were keeping them I probably would have gone through with it. Quoted: The pitot tube (orange probe) is for testing and data collection purposes.   Shit, I was sure it was for jousting if you run into an enemy fighter.

I thought thats where they mounted the cross hairs for the gun....

Heard that the USAF was going to scrap the A10 awhile back and the SECDEF said fine, we will give the close air support mission to the ARMY. The Air Force decided to keep the A10.