Boeing Selects BAE Systems to Provide Digital Electronic Warfare Suite for International F-15s

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 29, 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has selected BAE Systems' Electronics, Intelligence & Support (EI&S) division to provide the next-generation Digital Electronic Warfare Suite (DEWS) for future international versions of the F-15 multirole fighter aircraft. Boeing's selection of BAE Systems is the result of a rigorous source-selection competition.

"BAE Systems' Digital Electronic Warfare Suite will greatly improve the F-15's aircrew situational awareness, self-protection and electronic countermeasures capabilities," said Mark Bass, Boeing F-15 Program vice president and program manager. "The F-15, with its state-of-the-art electronic warfare capabilities, will continue its multirole supremacy for decades."

Boeing will offer the BAE Systems DEWS as an option for any follow-on procurements from current F-15 customers such as Japan and Saudi Arabia, and to new international customers. The introduction of the new DEWS hardware onto the F-15 weapon system will provide world-class performance and capability while improving reliability, maintainability and operational availability. Retrofitting the hardware onto existing domestic and international F-15s also will be possible and practical. A DEWS retrofit will provide enhanced performance, reduced logistics requirements and life-cycle cost savings for the customer.

"BAE Systems has drawn on its extensive fifth-generation technology to provide Boeing a state-of-the-art system," said Jim Crouch, vice president and general manager of Electronic Warfare Survivability and Protection Systems. "We are looking forward to this partnership with Boeing and bringing increased capability to the F-15 fighter aircraft."

During the initial phases of the program, BAE Systems will produce DEWS test units and support Boeing's efforts to integrate the system into the F-15 weapon platform. The integration activity will take place at Boeing facilities in St. Louis prior to the developmental stage and the initial operational test and evaluation flight programs.