By Renee Hatcher
PEO(A) Public Affairs

Representatives from NAVAIR’s E-6B Program Office and the Government Systems Division of Rockwell Collins signed a $79,520,826 contract March 30 for the system development and demonstration of Block I modifications to the E-6B Mercury.

“These Block I modifications will significantly improve the reliability and maintainability of the E-6B’s communications systems as well as position the E-6B Airborne Command Post to be compatible with proposed GIG architectures”, said Capt. Bill Okoniewski, NAVAIR’s E-6B Mercury program manager. “The Mercury’s capability to execute the U.S. Strategic Command’s nuclear command and control mission will be secure well into the future.”

The work under this contract will correct deficiencies, mission readiness degraders, and obsolescence issues identified during E-6B follow-on operational test and evaluation. Another purpose of the modifications is to replace stove-piped mission systems architecture with an integrated open systems architecture. This effort includes design, development, installation, and testing of the fully integrated system modifications in a systems integration laboratory and a production representative aircraft. Work is expected to be completed in September 2008.

The Block I modification program impacts six main areas. An improved Mission Avionics Processor System will address mission computer system obsolescence and support future growth. The Digital Airborne Intercommunications and Switching System/Intercommunication System will improve reliability and interoperability. Ultra-High Frequency Command, Control and Communications equipment will improve radio reliability. An open systems architecture with multiple levels of security will facilitate workload sharing, information exchange and interoperability, and allow faster and cheaper integration of new systems and technology. The new environmental control system and electrical power generation systems will support alert operations without ground support.

The open systems architecture will include 16 workstations with the same functionality to facilitate workload sharing and flexibility. Currently, each seat is missionized, which results in significant workload at some stations and much less at others. The open systems architecture will ease integration of commercial-off-the-shelf, government-off-the-shelf, and non-developmental items systems, and accommodate technology updates.

Block I involves a five-year system development and demonstration contract with an option for two low rate initial production aircraft. The remaining aircraft will be modified under a follow-on full rate production contract. Initial operational capability will be achieved 2010 with full operational capability planned for 2014.