Friday, March 19, 2010

EO DAS

IOC: 2008

Also Known As
AN/AAQ-37
AN/AAS-37
Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System

Origin
United States of America

Contractor/s
Lockheed Martin
Northrop Grumman

Applications
F-35A Lightning II
F-35B Lightning II
F-35C Lightning II

Description: The Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System (EO DAS), being developed in parallel with the EOTS (Electro-Optical Targeting System), is a lightweight, affordable, high performance, multi-functional sensor array providing revolutionary situational awareness to airborne platforms. Northrop-Grumman Electronic Systems and Lockheed-Martin Missiles and Fire Control are developing the EO DAS and the EOTS for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

This multi-function sensor is based on the proven Sniper XR technology and will be carried internally in the F-35 multi-role fighter flush-mounted along aircraft's fuselage. This approach seeks to surround the aircraft with a protective sphere of situational awareness, warning the pilot of incoming aircraft and missile threats as well as providing day/night vision and additional fire-control capability. It will be connected to the F-35 main computer via a high-speed fiber optic interface meeting the F-35 integrated system architecture requirement.

EO DAS will support advanced full-coverage situational awareness, target recognition and precision weapons delivery. The sensor array has been designed to provide 360-degree full coverage for enhanced combat effectiveness and support for V/STOL operations. Aircraft's integrated EO DAS also will represent a revolutionary leap forward in warning/awareness systems compared with precedent systems integrated onto previous combat aircraft generations.

By mid-November 2005 Northrop-Grumman released that the EO DAS which received the AAQ-37 designation, also referred to as the AN/AAS-37, had begun flight testing installed on a BAC 1-11 avionics testbed aircraft. Three of such a sensors providing an sphere of situational awareness were integrated onto BAC 1-11 airframe. The full scale EO DAS system was expected to include up to six sensors.

News
F-35's Radar Conducts First Flight on BAC-1-11

Image Gallery

Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)

Last Updated: Sunday, March 07, 2010

Leave Feedback >>