[Avionics Today 08-12-2015] The U.S. Navy has extended Raytheon’s engineering and manufacturing development contract on the Joint Precision Approach Landing Systems (JPALS) program. Raytheon will continue testing and analysis in support of auto-land capability and integration of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The contract value is $52 million.
"The JPALS program is a collaboration between the U.S. Navy and Raytheon," said Brian Hickey, director at Raytheon Navigation and Landing Systems. "Landing a high-powered, high-speed aircraft on a moving carrier in rough seas is an exceptionally difficult task. The progress we’ve made is resulting in truly game-changing technology for Navy pilots."
JPALS works with the GPS satellite navigation system to provide guidance for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. The system features anti-jam protection to ensure mission continuity in hostile environments and enables precision landings in all weather and environmental conditions.