ANALQ184 EA Pod Low Band TWT and HVPS Replacement

1
AN/ALQ-184 EA Pod Low Band TWT and HVPS
Replacement
542dCombat SustainmentGroup (CBSG)
Briefer Mr. Nico Fatica 478-222-4366
2
Overview

• Brief Item Description
• Current Status of Item
• Acquisition Sustainment Strategy
• Challenges/Opportunities
• Government Focal Points
• Summary

3
Brief Item Description

• ALQ-184 EA Pods provide RADAR jamming and
  deception to protect F-16 and A-10 Aircraft
• EA Pods rely on High Power Large Bottle Traveling
  Wave Tubes (TWT) and associated High Voltage
  Power Supplies (HVPS)
• Competitive Materiel Support Division (MSD)
  Engineering project to replace high cost/low
  reliability TWT and HVPS
• Design, prototype, and integrate replacement TWT
  and HVPS
• Decrease life cycle cost and improve reliability
  and sustainability
• Potential added operational capability
• Form, Fit and Function Replacement

4
Current Status of Item

• Low band TWT and HVPS - least reliable ALQ-184 EA
  Pod components
• High annual cost to repair TWT and HVPS
• 300 TWTs _at_ 10.5M
• 228 HVPS _at_ 1.5M
• Industrial TWT repair base diminishing
• TWTs contain hazardous material Beryllium Oxide
• ALQ-184 EA Pods expected to remain in inventory
  until 2025

5
Acquisition SustainmentStrategy

• Competitive 24 month, two phase effort
• Phase 1 Design/develop/document/test selected
  solution
• Phase 2 Integration testing of prototype TWTs
  and HVPSs in ALQ-184 EA Pod System
• Follow-on TWT/HVPS Production and Fielding
• HQ ACC POM for FY12
• Competitive production contract planned
• 825 ALQ-184 Pods

6
Challenges/ Opportunities

• Funding
• Project currently above HQ ACC FY08 cut line
• FY08 ACC priorities 47 and 74
• Option funding uncertain
• Out-year production costs uncertain
• Infuses new technology into ALQ-184 EA Pods
• Potential to improve reliability, lower life
  cycle costs, increase overall Pod effectiveness

7
Government Focal Points

• ALQ-184 Lead Engineer Nico Fatica
• 542CBSG/GBEAA
• nico.fatica_at_us.af.mil
• [phone]
• ALQ-184 Program Manager Diane Nickels
• 560CBSS/GBLA
• diane.nickels_at_robins.af.mil
• [phone]
• Contracts POC June Nelson
• 542CBSG/GBKA
• June.nelson_at_robins.af.mil
• [phone]

8
Summary

• Competitive MSD Project
• 24 month two phase approach
• Expecting reliability/sustainability/capability
  improvements
• Funding projections are green