Northrop Grumman announced Wednesday that it has delivered the operational software package for the AN/AAQ-37 electro-optical distributed aperture system on the F-35 strike fighter. The delivery was made to Lockheed Martin, F-35 prime contractor, for integration on the stealth fighter once flight tests on surrogate platforms are complete. “This software delivery represents the final, full-performance, operational flight program-approved version, following an in-depth, eight-year product development and test phase,” said Mark Rossi, Northrop’s program development EO-DAS director. The AN/AAQ-37 is a high-resolution, omni-directional infrared sensor system that will provide F-35 pilots with advanced spherical situational awareness, including detection and tracking of missiles and threat aircraft. With DAS, the pilots will actually be able to see what’s underneath them through the floor of their aircraft.
The U.K. and the U.S. will continue to enjoy access to the ports, airfield, and workshops at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for at least another century, under a deal inked between the U.K. and Mauritius May 22.