CF-18 ugprades, phase two

Moving along:

Most of the crew is heading home as the testing for phase two of upgrades to Canada's CF-18 Hornet jets nears completion. Phase one of the modernization project was completed in August of last year.

For the last three months, a group of people from the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment (AETE) at 409 Squadron and 410 Squadron in Cold Lake, have been in China Lake, California, testing out new hardware and software for the CF-18s.

"We had people from all across the fighter force," says Major Mike Michaud, the Combined Test Force Commander for the project. "At any given time there were roughly about 30 technicians there and probably about three to four aircrew. The aircrew mostly came from AETE but the technicians came from everywhere-AETE, 410 Squadron and 409 Squadron in Cold Lake, and 425 Squadron in Bagotville. It was a huge team effort."

Maj Michaud says the test team has been very busy over the past few months. Phase two of the CF-18 upgrades includes the installation of four main systems.

Boeing engineers and technicians as well as the project officer, lead test pilot, and Combined Test Force Commander, Major Mike Michaud, stand in front of the first modified aircraft after completion of the Acceptance Test Flight.
"First, there's the joint helmet-mounted cueing system. That's where key flight and mission parameters are projected inside the visor of the pilot's helmet," says Maj Michaud. "Wherever the pilot looks, this information is projected in front of him. This means he doesn't have to look down at the instruments or through the Heads Up Display; he can be looking down at the ground or at another aircraft, and can still put weapons on target. It's a huge capability upgrade."

The test team flew the first upgraded airplane December 5, 2006, and ever since, have flown two test airplanes almost non-stop.

Now, upgrades to the Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) a new networking capability that will allow Canadians to interoperate with Americans and other allies, is in the works.

"There's also the ALE-47, a new counter measures system going in the aircraft, which includes a chaff-flare dispensing capability that is a lot more sophisticated than what was in there previously," says Maj Michaud.

The CF-18s are also getting new colour displays and digital maps.

"The three main displays in the airplane right now are monochromatic - they're basically black with green writing," says Maj Michaud. "Now, they'll have LCD colour displays - they can display images and the contacts will be in different colours. In terms of what's presented to the pilot, it's a huge upgrade."

On top of these four big hardware upgrades, there's a new software suite going into the aircraft as well. Maj Michaud says AETE's role in the entire upgrade process is about 80 per cent complete.

"We're hoping to bring the two prototype aircraft back here at the end of March. Once it's back here, AETE probably has another two to three weeks of initial work to do. Then the project gets turned over to Operational Test and Evaluation Flight, over at 410 Sqaudon. Their Operational Test and Evaluation experts will begin to determine how these powerful new capabilities will be effectively employed."

Maj Michaud says everyone is anxious to get the new systems up and running.

"Once we give our thumbs up, the next stage will be to start the process of modifying all of our CF-18s."

The assembling will happen in Mirabel, Quebec.