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  • [music]

  • >> Narrator: The Northrop Grumman F-35 electro-optical distributed aperture system

  • The cornerstone of a fifth generation fighter capability

  • Provides missile detection and tracking

  • Launch point detection

  • Situational awareness IRST and cueing

  • Weapons support

  • and Day-night navigation

  • [Computer sounds]

  • The revolutionary AN/AAQ-37

  • electro-optical distributed aperture system

  • or DAS

  • is composed of six infrared sensors

  • situated around the aircraft

  • The advanced IR sensors provide

  • long-range detections

  • and near 20/20 visual acuity

  • Day or night

  • The result is spherical sensor coverage

  • around the aircraft

  • The six sensors have an extremely fast update rate

  • and are digitally fused to virtually eliminate seams

  • and perform multiple functions

  • in every direction

  • at all times

  • [music]

  • Surface-to-air missiles can no longer hide

  • The DAS instantaneously detects SAM and MANPAD launchers

  • Predicts the missile's target

  • Alerts the pilot

  • And allows time for a choice of countermeasures

  • With DAS, a counterattack is possible well before the target can hide

  • [explosion]

  • Triple A, artillery, and tactical ballistic missiles can also be detected

  • Integrating this into the mission computer

  • will enable the EOTS and AESA radar to image and ID the target

  • Allowing an immediate counterattack to a hostile act

  • [music]

  • [explosion]

  • [music]

  • Situational awareness IRST is also a key function of the DAS

  • DAS detects and tracks incoming aircraft from any angle,

  • reducing the potential for mid-air collision

  • [Jet sounds]

  • Even with a tactical radar warning receiver,

  • pilots can still be surprised during non-radar or visual intercepts.

  • The DAS detects and tracks threats

  • 360 degrees around the aircraft,

  • virtually eliminating surprises.

  • With DAS and a high, off-boresite weapon,

  • the F-35 can actually have a kinematic advantage

  • over a pursuing aircraft.

  • The enemy can either break off the attack,

  • try to defeat the inbound missile

  • or suffer the consequences.

  • DAS maintains continuous track and identity of wingmen

  • and other in-range aircraft

  • During close-in engagements, automatic identification systems

  • are practically useless

  • and identities of similar-looking aircraft are easily confused.

  • DAS sensors allow for instant tracking and ID correlation

  • even in dynamic in-combat manuevering

  • With DAS, aircraft IDs are maintained, despite similar aircraft appearance

  • or loss of visual contact by a pilot

  • [music]

  • In the age of high, off-boresite weapons and highly manueverable aircraft,

  • hesitation means defeat

  • and turning at the merge can lead to disaster.

  • [jet sounds]

  • [music]

  • [missile fired]

  • [explosions]

  • [jet sounds]

  • >> With DAS, instead of engaging in a classic dogfight

  • The F-35 has the option to simply to exit the dogfight

  • [missile fired]

  • and lets its missiles do the turning

  • [jet sounds]

  • [explosions]

  • [music]

  • For navigation function, DAS imagery replaces

  • bulky night-vision goggles, or NVGs, and provides

  • better overall visual acuity

  • DAS video imagery is projected directly onto

  • the pilot's helmet visor

  • is independent of cockpit lighting and

  • protects pilots against blinding laser devices.

  • Side-by-side video of daytime and night carrier approaches

  • Shows that even waves are visible with the DAS.

  • Landings in foggy and dusty conditions are also possible with DAS.

  • DAS imagery is unaffected by cockpit illumination and urban lighting.

  • Nighttime imagery of the city has clarity unimaginable using NVGs.

  • And when integrated into the mission computer,

  • DAS can provide optical visuals of multiple moving targets

  • in every direction, simultaneously.

  • DAS provides day and night vision spherically around the aircraft.

  • A pilot may have good eyes, but he can't see through the floor.

  • Unless he has DAS.

  • [music]

  • The revolutionary, multifunction distributed aperture system

  • for missile defense,

  • ground targeting,

  • air combat

  • and visual modes.

  • The electro-optical distributed aperture system provides

  • fifth generation lethality and survivability,

  • Seeing everything, everywhere, all the time.

[music]

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