NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. -- The Joint Precision Approach Landing System Increment 1A Program completed a Preliminary Design Review in December and detailed design has commenced with the Critical Design Review planned for early fiscal year 2011 with Engineering Development Model system deliveries following later that year.

“Due to the JPALS Increment 1A Team’s leadership, this critical Systems Engineering Technical Review event was executed on schedule, enabling the program to transition to detailed design,” said Capt. CJ Jaynes, Naval Air Traffic Management Systems (PMA-213) program manager.

The design review resulted in only six requests for action, one of which was closed during the review, and none of which affects the program’s critical path to CDR, according to Jaynes.

JPALS, designated a Major Defense Acquisition Category ID program in 2008, represents the next generation precision approach and landing capability and is Global Positioning System- and vice radar-based, to provide increased operational availability and interoperability.

The system is designed to provide an anti-jam, secure capability in tactical environments. With Navy, Air Force, and Army participation, JPALS boasts a family of interoperable systems for joint, civil, and multi-national manned and unmanned aircraft. It also provides critical enabling technology for CVN-21, Joint Strike Fighter, DDG-1000, and Navy Unmanned Combat Air Systems, while enabling gradual retirement of costly, obsolete radar-based systems. JPALS-compliant aircraft will also be compatible with the civil aviation GPS-based infrastructure when fielded.

The JPALS Increment 1A Team worked with Raytheon throughout 2009 to clarify PDR expectations and tailor the review checklist and spent two months assisting in brief development. Additionally, the Increment 1A Team provided technical guidance and oversight to the JPALS contractor (Raytheon) in making architecture and integration changes to the technical baseline, enabling the system to meet Key Performance Parameters and Technical Performance Measures.

Successful completion of three Systems Engineering Technical Review events in one year – System Requirements Review (Jan. 2009), System Functional Review (June 2009) and PDR (Dec. 2009) - the JPALS Increment 1A Team has put the program on track to provide GPS-based precision approach and landing capability to the fleet on schedule.

-- 30 --