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HARM targeting system ready ahead of schedule

  • Published
  • By 693rd Armament Systems Squadron
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The 693rd Armament Systems Squadron's High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile Targeting System program reached a major milestone with the delivery of 15 Revision-7 pods to Air Combat Command by Sept. 30.

As a result, the team met the warfighter's Required Assets Available objective date two months ahead of Raytheon Missile Systems' contract requirements.

The HTS pod is mounted to the side of an F-16 aircraft and provides critical combat identification capabilities to pilots as they patrol the air above the battlefield. Using the HTS, a pilot is able to detect, locate and identify ground-based emitters. Armed with this data, the pilot can then decide to avoid the area or engage the emitter by attacking and destroying the site.

HTS R7 brings the latest technology to the battlefield by employing advanced tactical targeting technology that enables the warfighter to pinpoint the precise location of an emission source using multi-ship techniques. Unlike previous versions of HTS that relied heavily on HARM's ability to track radiating targets to complete the kill chain, this precision targeting capability allows the use of a variety of precision guided munitions to destroy targets. Once Global Positioning System coordinates are obtained, they can be targeted regardless of whether the target is emitting. This is the first major leap for the Air Force in transitioning from a Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses mindset to a Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses mindset.

"The HTS has revolutionized combat and the tactics that we employ in the air," said Lt. Col. Mike Jansen, 416th Flight Test Squadron commander. "The HTS will be a key component in building a battle order available to all forces on the net, ultimately saving lives and increasing air power effectiveness."

Equipped with upgraded hardware that features a GPS receiver, a digital receiver, a new power supply and a redesigned software load, the R7 is compatible with the latest currently fielded M3.4-F-16 operational flight program software and will enable pilots to destroy hostile emitters once employed with the upcoming M4.2+ software release in May, 2007.

"RAA was a commitment our team made to ACC, ensuring R7 pods would be available to support the latest F-16 software release," said Lt. Col. Al Iannaccone, 693rd ARSS commander. "Everyone understood the importance of meeting ACC's delivery date and they did everything humanly possible to make it happen. This team continues to deliver on its commitments."

The R7 HTS development effort was put on contract in 2001 and received clearance to proceed with a retrofit program in February 2005. The current Air Force inventory of 200 HTS R6 pods will be retrofitted to R7 during the next two years.

The 693rd ARSS reports to the recently formed 728th Armament Systems Group, part of the 328th Armament Systems Wing (formerly known as the Air-to-Air Missile Systems Wing) here.