FACE-conformant navigation systems to be installed on U.S. Navy, Marine aircraft through accord with Rockwell Collins
NewsAugust 30, 2018
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa. Rockwell Collins has secured a contract that will equip multiple U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps aircraft with safety-critical Required Navigation Performance Area Navigation (RNP-RNAV) capabilities through a contract issued by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Air Combat Electronics program office (PMA-209).
Under the terms of the agreement, Rockwell Collins will install its Mission Flight Management Software (MFMS-1000) and Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) Calculator (LPVC-1000) applications, which will enable the aircraft to meet RNP-RNAV requirements, obtain access to civil and military airspace around the globe, and perform GPS approach procedures. These procedures, say Rockwell Collins officials, boost airspace use; reduce congestion, delays, and fuel burn; and improve safety by providing more precise aircraft navigation.
Heather Robertson, senior director for Rockwell Collins, said of the contract: “Pilots will now be able to comply with civil flight procedures while operating in the continental U.S., Europe, and other areas of the world where adherence to the latest communication, navigation, surveillance, and air-traffic management rules are required. The MFMS-1000 software is also certified conformant to the FACE Technical Standard, resulting in a hardware-agnostic solution portable to any avionics system. This will be the first time military aircraft will have a low-risk means to implement RNP-RNAV compliance without the need for an expensive and time-consuming avionics system upgrade.”
