A team from Hanscom Air Force Base recently completed a major upgrade on an E-767 Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) jet, which has now been returned to Japan. The International AWACS Division of the Digital Directorate, based in Hanscom, provided the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) with a mission computing upgrade (MCU) for one of their AWACS aircraft, along with supporting ground systems for mission planning and training at several Japanese air bases.
Photo from USAF
The upgrade was of significant importance to the JASDF, as they face frequent incursions by Chinese and Russian aircraft and unmanned systems into Japanese airspace. Colonel Riley Pyles, the deputy director of the Digital Directorate, emphasized the critical partnership between Japan and the United States in the Indo-Pacific Command theater. He stated that the E-767 AWACS jet is vital for the JASDF’s airborne battle management command and control, highlighting its importance in the event of hostilities.
John Fisher, the acting program manager of the Mission Computing Upgrade program in the Digital Directorate’s Japan AWACS branch, explained that the MCU is similar to an upgrade performed on U.S. Air Force E-3 AWACS aircraft. The upgrade will provide the JASDF with improved battlespace command and control capabilities, real-time information sharing among services, reduced target identification time, and increased lethality.
Fisher expressed satisfaction with the successful delivery of this new capability, emphasizing the collaborative effort of all partners involved. He noted that the primary objective of the mission is to enhance Japan’s national security, and achieving this goal required a significant team effort.
The JASDF has been operating an AWACS program since 1998, with previous upgrades including the Radar System Improvement Program and the Mission Navigation System Upgrade through a contract with Boeing in 2006. The MCU installation for the E-767 commenced in August 2019, and after successful flight testing and demonstrations at various locations, including Edwards Air Force Base in California and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington, the upgrade was completed in 2022. The total value of the upgrade amounted to $870 million.
Mike Canavan, the materiel leader of the Japan E-767 Programs Branch, expressed immense pride in the collaboration between the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center personnel, Boeing, and the JASDF, highlighting their collective efforts in making the delivery possible. Canavan also mentioned that the team is currently undertaking MCU updates on additional JASDF E-767 aircraft.
For more information, hit the Source below