THE US ARMY RISKS buying an Advanced Quickfix electronic-warfare helicopter which may not meet performance requirements, says the US General Accounting Office (GAO).
The US Army is spending $1.5 billion to develop and field the Intelligence Electronic Warfare Common Sensor. It is designed to locate, intercept and jam enemy communications-signals and find enemy radar. The airborne version will be mounted on the Sikorsky Aircraft EH-60 Quickfix.
Plans called for upgrade of seven EH-60s to the Advanced Quickfix configuration in two years of low-rate initial production (LRIP). It started LRIP of three systems in fiscal year 1996 and had planned to procure the remaining four in FY1997. The second purchase was reduced to one system. Four systems are being built for testing.
The GAO says that the US Army has committed to production before proving that the Advanced Quickfix is adequate for electronic-warfare use. It advised the US Department of Defense to stop the acquisition until realistic tests are completed.
Source: Flight International