Successful test flight & F-16 MLU M5 System Integration Laboratory test of ESTER

[BUFF 8]

By: TEMA A/S

 

Airborne Systems

Airbase Skrydstrup, Denmark / Fort Worth, 29 February 2008 - The Royal

Danish Air Force (RDAF) has successfully completed the first flight tests

and F-16 MLU M5 System Integration Laboratory Tests of the ESTER (Enhanced

Smart Triple Ejector Rack) <http://www.terma.com/page.dsp?page=988> on an

F-16.

The Triple Ejector Rack (TER) is a weapon-suspension unit which is attached

to the aircraft's weapon pylons, enabling each pylon to carry three weapons.

The TER-9 version is suitable for under-wing F-16 laser-guided and ballistic

weapons, with the ability to release weapons individually.

The ITT/Terma ESTER program upgrades the TER-9 racks by adding the

capability to carry modern ¿smart¿ weapons which operate on the military

standard 1760 interface. These include the Joint Direct Attack Munitions

(JDAM) and Enhanced Paveway II (EGBU-12/BRU-49). Provisions for future Small

Diameter Bomb (SDB) are also part of the ESTER, and initial tests on the SDB

compatibility will be performed this spring under an ITT/Terma internally

funded program.

The initial RDAF flight tests were aimed at verifying the functionality and

reliability of the cable retention unit. The bombs were successfully

released from the ESTER with the new retention unit which has been installed

in lieu of the existing MIL-STD-1760 umbilical cable retention system, and

the new Terma/ITT developed units performed flawlessly.

The ESTER also passed the F-16 MLU M5 System Integration Laboratory (SIL)

testing in Fort Worth, as part of the EPAF MLU M5 test program. The tests

were conducted without problems, and the ESTER test units are now ready for

the F-16 MLU M5 flight tests in the U.S. this year.

The RDAF representative Klavs Andersen, Chief of the Business Unit Fighter

Aircraft including the ESTER program, said: "I am satisfied with the

performance of the ESTER, the physical release and retention system worked

well, and we are now ready to continue flight testing in the U.S. as part of

the M5 program."