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USAF awards $89M contract for new head-up displays for F-16 fleet

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USAF awards $89M contract for new head-up displays for F-16 fleet
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Simple Flying | Simple Flying

The United States Air Force (USAF) has awarded a contract to Elbit Systems of America, valued at up to $89 million, for equipping its F-16 Block 40/42 fleet with new head-up displays (HUD). This system, known as the Wide-Angle Conventional Head-Up Display (WACHUD), is designed to provide pilots with critical information during flights and will replace the Diffractive Optic HUD currently installed on some USAF F-16s.

The contract was issued as a firm Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) agreement to Elbit America, the U.S. subsidiary of Israeli military technology company Elbit Systems. The initial order placed in September is valued at over $57.5 million, while the total ceiling cost of the contract could reach $89 million.

Elbit America will carry out these upgrades at its facility located in Talladega, Alabama, with deliveries scheduled through September 2027. Scott Tumpak, Senior Vice President of Electronic Systems at Elbit America, stated: "The Wide-Angle Conventional Head-Up Display replacements provide modernization but also commonality across the US Air Force’s F-16 fleet. This commonality benefits the pilots, maintainers and supply chain, as the single configuration is easier to manage and maintain across the entire F-16 fleet."

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The WACHUD system features an Israeli-developed wide-angle design that improves upon existing narrow HUDs by offering a broader field of information. It integrates with current systems on the F-16 such as radar and targeting systems, helmet-mounted display systems, and night vision goggles. The updated HUD brings F-16 capabilities closer to those found in fifth-generation fighters like the F-22 and F-35.

Since its inception in the 1980s, the Block 40/42 program for the F-16 has focused on enhancing navigation, night operations, and strike precision capabilities among other improvements. The U.S. plans to keep this aircraft model operational until at least the 2040s despite efforts to retire older airframes being delayed by Congress until fiscal year 2025.

In addition to this latest contract with Elbit America, past significant investments include a $6.3 billion upgrade initiative named Post Block Integration Team (PoBIT) announced in 2022 for over 600 Block 40/42 and Block 50/52 jets involving multiple modifications including Northrop Grumman's AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR). Another major investment was a $1 billion Common Configuration Implementation Program (CCIP) around 2000 which involved installing new cockpit displays among other updates.

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