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In Detail ——  IMP – the CF18 Incremental Modernization Program ——

by Allan Ng M.Eng., P.Eng.

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Canadian Defence Procurement  –  December 2003 The CF18 Incremental Modernization Program  –  In Detail Allan Ng reviews DND’s CF18 fighter aircraft modernization plan  (Part 7) Follow-Ons to the ECP 583  –  Joint Helmet-Mounted Cuing System  (JHMCS) If Looks Could Kill –  a New JHMCS Helmet for the CF? The Joint Helmet Mounted Cuing System – JHMCS – is a joint venture between Rockwell Collins and Israel’s Elbit Systems.[1]  This JHMCS is intended for close-range air- to-air combat and is designed to take full advantage of the new, highly-manoeuverable, short range air-to-air missiles (AAM) now entering service with western air forces. The current CF short-range AAM (the infrared-guided AIM-9 Sidewinder) relies upon gaining an infrared ‘lock’ (albeit, with a back-up optical target detector) on an opponent. A tactical disadvantage of the close-range Sidewinders is the limited  (30°) field-of- view of their infrared seeker-heads.  JHMCS is meant to address this limitation. The next-generation short-range AAMs have much wider fields-of-view but this new type of missile can also be ‘slaved’ to a helmet-mounted sighting system like JHMCS.  Instead of a Sidewinder’s 30° cone fanning out from the missile’s nose for ‘lock- on’, the next-generation of AAM’s fields-of- view will be at least 90°s.  By simply looking at a target, a pilot wearing the JHMCS will be able to direct these new short-range AAMs. JHMCS is designed for 24 hour operation. A daylight visor (essentially a helmet-mounted heads-up display – top)  is standard but, for nocturnal operations, an adaptor allows NVG (night-vision goggles – above, left) to be worn instead.  Initial operational use of this system by the US is imminent. If CF Air Command acquires the JHMCS and a new short range AAM (as DND has planned) the upgraded CF18 will be well able to deal with more modern opponents in close air-to-air combat for years to come.