BAE Systems has announced it received a $3.3 million contract to transition a full-scale development model of a rapid deployment-capable to a production-ready station to test electronic attack pods used with F-15, F-16, and A-10 aircraft. The portable tester will check out ALQ-131 and ALQ-184 EA pods to enable “fast-turnaround repairs,” stated a company news release. The Air Force expects BAE to complete the FSD transition phase by 2008. In the next phase of the program, BAE would produce up to 100 testers.
It'll take up to 18 months for Lockheed Martin to deliver the 100 or so F-35s that went directly from production line to storage, awaiting the completion of Tech Refresh 3 testing. Customers haven't complained about the order in which the backlog is being delivered.