ST. LOUIS, Nov. 08, 2005 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has completed the initial laboratory verification of the EA-18G tactical aircraft's Interference Cancellation (INCANS) system, and demonstrated the system's capabilities during aircraft ground testing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.
The INCANS engineering development hardware was installed in an F/A-18F, the first time the system has been installed in an aircraft. The aircraft was then suspended in an anechoic chamber at Patuxent River for testing. A team consisting of members from the U.S. Navy, Boeing and EDO verified proper radio frequency cancellation. The demonstration included voice quality checks with active ALQ-99 jamming from a centerline pod.
"Demonstrating INCANS capability has been a key milestone in our program's progress," says Bob Feldmann, EA-18G program manager for Boeing. "We know that this capability is critical to the fleet, so it is outstanding to gain this level of success so early in the development program."
The INCANS system will allow the EA-18G to conduct voice communications over ultra-high radio frequencies with friendly forces, while simultaneously jamming enemy communications, a capability not available with the Navy's current airborne electronic attack aircraft, the EA-6B Prowler.
The three areas of the test and demonstration were all "absolutely successful," according to Paul Molloy, Boeing INCANS integrated product team lead and coordinator for the test. The testing will allow the team to fine tune the INCANS system, ensuring communications are as clear as possible. The next step will be to further test and refine the system in the EDO facility in Thousand Oaks, Calif. EDO, which built the engineering development model under contract to Boeing, will produce eight system development and demonstration models.