Anna Forrester
The U.S. Air Force‘s upgraded hardware at the Robins Air Force Base C-5 System Integration Lab works to accommodate Lockheed Martin‘s own upgrades to the C-5 Galaxy‘s color weather radar and core mission computer.
Jenny Gordon reports Wednesday on the Air Force website that the service designed, installed or modified hardware such as the lab’s electronics enclosure, antenna fixture and pedestal, radome and an air-conditioning and heating unit.
The lab provides a simulated environment for technicians and engineers to test the C-5 weapon system before deployment to the live military aircraft, the report said.
Gordon writes that Lockheed’s ongoing work on the color weather radar is anticipated to bring additional workload to the lab, creating the need for hardware upgrades.
She adds that the new C-5 SIL is scheduled to be ready in the fall and begin to receive weather data via the antenna to test the radar.
According to the report, Lockheed works to add new functions to the radar such as wind shear and turbulence detection and mitigation of issues with supportability, sustainment and obsolescence.
Engineering and manufacturing development tests on the upgraded color weather radar will begin mid-November, the report said.
