16 -- Hornet Autonomous Real-Time Targeting (HART) for F/A-18C/D/E/F

Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) intends to negotiate with McDonnell-Douglas, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Boeing Aircraft Company, PO Box 516, St. Louis MO 63166-0516 for System Design and Development (SDD) of Hornet Autonomous Real-Time Targeting (HART) for the F/A-18C/D/E/F aircraft.HART provides precision real-time targeting capabilities to the F/A-18 aircraft utilizing the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM). The F/A-18 EO/IR targeting pod will be utilized as the initial image source for HART. Key capabilities of HART include real-time self-targeting, through the weather, mature Autonomous Target Acquisition (ATA), mission planning, automatic data entry, and immediate precision targeting solution and response against pop-up and relocatable targets. Integration is a key element of the HART. The F/A-18 program has a stated objective of the Hornet as a fully integrated aircraft, including all systems, stores, and components. As a result, it is critical HART be fully integrated with the JDAM and F/A-18 systems. Boeing Aircraft Company is the sole designer, developer, and manufacturer for the F/A-18C/D/E/F and JDAM. As such, they are the only known source possessing the requisite knowledge and experience required to provide the necessary design to ensure complete integration of the HART with existing F/A-18 software, electronic systems, and hardware architecture. The period of performance is expected to be from March 2003 through September 2007. This synopsis is for informational purposes only. NAVAIR Synopsis number 20099-02. See Numbered Note 22.