Metronor has secured a follow-on contract for the supply of additional Harmolign advanced boresight systems for use on the FA-50 light attack aircraft.
Awarded by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the contract brings the total number of boresight systems delivered by the company to date for various TA-50 and FA-50 variants to six.
Metronor Military Systems Business Unit vice-president Errol Henriksen said the company will continue the supply of a modern and effective solution for high accuracy alignment of essential aircraft systems and sensors to both KAI and its national and export customers.
‘Henriksen said: ‘In addition to handling present aircraft sub-systems, the Harmolign systems can easily be modified for boresighting of future sub-systems and sensors.
”As such, the systems can ‘grow’ with the aircraft and provide a cost effective boresight solution for the lifetime of the aircraft.”
Based on Metronor’s patented electro-optical (EO) technology, the Harmolign boresight system provides on-screen type-specific graphical operator guidance, eliminating the requirement for operator training, and scheduled maintenance or calibration, thereby reducing life-cycle costs.
Besides TA-50 and FA-50, the systems have also been supplied for use on multiple variants of BAE Systems’ Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT), Saab Gripen, Lockheed-Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, KAI’s Surion helicopter and the Eurofighter aircrew synthetic training aids (ASTA) system.
A multirole fighter variant of KAI’s T-50 Golden Eagle aircraft, the FA-50 features an upgraded EL/M-2032 pulse-Doppler radar, advanced avionics, a longer radome and a Link 16 tactical datalink, and enhanced internal fuel capacity.
The light combat aircraft can be configured to carry up to 4.5t of weapons payload, including air-to-air/air-to-surface missiles and machine guns, and precision guidance bombers, such as joint direct attack munitions (JDAM), and multi-purpose precision guidance cluster bombing units (CBUs).
Powered by a General Electric F404-GE-102 engine, the aircraft also features a radar warning receiver and night vision imaging system for enhanced protection during both day and night, and is operational with the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF).
