F-16 Fighting Falcon News

January 14, 2008 (by Asif Shamim) - Aerotech Corporation announced today that its Training and Simulation Division's FAAC subsidiary has recently received a $780K contract from the Air Force.
The contract replaces the existing launch envelope software currently on-board the F-16C block 30 with its Zone Acquisition Process (ZAP) software currently used on the F-15 and F/A-18 fleets.

FAAC's Zone Acquisition Process software has been providing F-15 Eagle pilots missile launch envelope information since the early 1990s. FAAC is also under contract to provide its ZAP software to the Joint Strike Fighter and USAF F-16C block 50.

The software provides pre and post-launch information to assist the pilot in evaluating their weapon's capability against threats. It utilizes incredibly fast missile simulations that are highly responsive to the dynamic air combat arena.

"This software upgrade will bring us up to speed with the rest of USAF fighter community," says Lieutenant Colonel Bill 'Tree' Hargrove, an Instructor Pilot in the 107th FS of the Michigan Air National Guard. "Presently, we have to use rules of thumb to make up for limitations in our current software. ZAP will provide us accurate launch cues that are common to the F-15 and F/A-18 and better response to target maneuvers. With ZAP on-board the Air National Guard F-16C Block 30 has increased its platform effectiveness to carry out our mission."

Aerotech's Training and Simulation Division provides pilot decision-making support software for the F-15, F-16, F-18, and JSF aircraft, as well as simulation models for the ACMI/TACTS air combat training ranges