F-5 Tiger Brochure - Northrop Grumman Corporation

U.S. Navy Photo
F-5
Original
Equipment
Manufacturer
Northrop Grumman Photo
“Tiger Team” for
Aircraft Enhancements
and Upgrades
Northrop Grumman Photo

Brazilian Air Force Photo
U.S. Air Force Photo
by SSgt. Jeffrey Clonkey
Northrop Grumman Photo
More than 30 countries fly the F-5 as a front line fighter, trainer or reconnaissance aircraft including Brazil (top left)
and Thailand (bottom left). Right, a worker at Northrop Grumman’s St. Augustine Aircraft Integration Center conducts
depot maintenance on a U.S. Navy F-5.
T
he Northrop Grumman
F-5 Tiger II is a highly
maneuverable, capable
and reliable fighter used by the
U.S. Navy and Marine Corps
and more than 30 countries
worldwide as a front line fighter,
trainer, or reconnaissance
aircraft.
Northrop Grumman, the original
equipment manufacturer
of the F-5 Freedom Fighter
series, has the knowledge and
expertise to sustain, extend the
life, and upgrade any F-5 model
flying today.
To ensure the F-5 continues to
be relevant, Northrop Grumman
offers various capability
enhancement packages that
include avionics upgrade and
airframe updates, phased depot
maintenance, and maintenance
personnel training packages.
Maintenance and training
activities can be performed
either at the St. Augustine
Aircraft Integration Center in
Florida or in the host country.
Avionics Enhancement
The Block I Avionics upgrade
package was developed for the
U.S. Navy to enhance the F-5
navigational capabilities and
address obsolescence issues.
The new fiber optic technology of
the Embedded Global Positioning
System/Inertial Navigation
System, or EGI, is the same as
that used in the F-16. Northrop
Grumman upgraded all of the
U.S. Navy and Marine Corps F-5N
aircraft with the Block I avionics
upgrade at St. Augustine. The
Navy avionics upgrade includes:
• Navigation Subsystem:
Replace the existing LN-33
Inertial unit/Airborne
Heading-Altitude Reference
System (AHARS) with an
LN-260 EGI with an embedded
GPS available in both Precise
Positioning Service (PPS) and
Standard Positioning Service
(SPS) capabilities.
• Control and Display Subsystem:
Upgrade the control and
display subsystem to improve
display and operational
capability.
• Cockpit Display Unit (CDU):
Replace the CRT Radar Video
with a Multi-Function Color
Touch-Screen Smart Display
which includes the software to
provide control and functionality
of the inertial navigation
and radar systems.
• Navigation Control Panel:
Install Navigation Control
Panel to provide for power
switching and data upload
capability for the LN-260
and CDU.
The Block I installation provides
the baseline architecture for
additional avionics upgrades
including an All Aspect Digital
Radar; Radar Warning Receiver
set; Helmet-Mounted Display;
Hands-On Throttle and Stick
(HOTAS); Mission Computer;
Head-Up Display (HUD);
Miniaturized Digital Air Data
Computer; Stores and Weapons
Management; and Data Link.
The avionics enhancements can
support current and future
weapons capabilities tailored to
meet customer requirements.
The higher reliability and
reduced maintenance man-hours
can offset the cost of avionics
upgrades. Avionics upgrades
feature an open architecture
environment that allows for
future upgrades that can be
customized to meet specific
customer requirements.
Northrop Grumman’s F-5 Tiger
upgrades are compatible with

U.S. hardware, weapons and
communications, and leverage
an established Northrop
Grumman support infrastructure.
Airframe Enhancement
The St. Augustine Aircraft
Integration Center offers cuttingedge
upgrades and conversions
for F-5 aircraft, including an
F-5E to F-5F conversion.
Northrop Grumman has teamed
with industry leaders to form a
world-class capability to ensure
all aircraft upgrades are stateof-the-art
technology and easily
maintained and relevant for the
next 20 years.
When the U.S. Navy purchased
low hour single seat Swiss F-5s,
Northrop Grumman conducted
the depot maintenance and
modifications necessary to meet
Navy specifications. As part of
the Navy’s aircraft integration,
three of the single seat Swiss
F-5E models were converted to
the dual-seat F-5Fs. To make
this transformation, the front
fuselage section of the Navy F-5F
was installed on the low flight
hour Swiss F-5E. The resulting
aircraft produced a U.S. Navy
F-5F aircraft with significantly
lower structural hours.
Component Enhancement
Northrop Grumman offers a number
of component enhancements
designed to reduce maintenance
costs, increase aircraft availability,
operational effectiveness, and
pilot safety. Components offered
include:
• Miniature electronic air data
computer
• All aspect digital radar
• Communication and
navigation upgrades
• Survivability upgrades
• Automatic flight controls
Royal Jordanian F-5 two-ship formation.
• Anti-skid brakes
• Night vision capability
• Engines
• Onboard Oxygen Generating
System (OBOGS)
• Ejection seat
• Environmental control
upgrades
• Weapons integration
Depot Maintenance
Northrop Grumman’s St. Augustine
Aircraft Integration Center is
the only F-5 depot maintenance
facility in the United States.
The integration center conducts
depot maintenance for the U.S.
Navy F-5 program which can
be tailored for international F-5
fleets. Routine maintenance and
enhancements ensure viability of
the F-5 for the U.S. Navy and air
forces around the world for the
next 20 years and beyond.
The center’s maintenance teams
can also provide in-country
maintenance and training
(formal and on-the-job training),
including training certifications.
All F-5 depot work to date has
been accomplished on schedule
and on cost.
The Aircraft Integration Center
currently offers:
• Full depot overhaul
• Avionics upgrades
• Structural enhancements
• F-5E to F-5F conversions
• Crash damage repair
• Canopies and windshields
Total life cycle sustainment
packages are also available
based on the needs of the
customer.
Royal Jordanian Air Force Photo
Photo courtesy of Arpingstone
Swiss Air Force Northrop F-5E Tiger II of the
Patrouille Suisse aerobatics team taxis after
landing at the Royal International Air Tattoo,
U.K.

Northrop Grumman
Commitment
Northrop Grumman stands ready
to work with F-5 aircraft users
from around the world to provide
the components, maintenance,
and training needed to meet
mission objectives. As the
original equipment manufacturer,
Northrop Grumman is uniquely
qualified to provide F-5
aircraft engineering design,
configuration management,
modifications, maintenance
and training.
For more information,
please contact:
Northrop Grumman
Aerospace Systems
Military Aircraft Systems
Mike Ingalls
F-5 Program Manager
904-825-3432
mike.ingalls@ngc.com
A modernized F-5 Tiger II
provides an inexpensive, highly
capable fighter for allies and
partner nations.
www.northropgrumman.com
©2013 Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
Printed in USA
Marcom Hollywood
13-1171 • AS • 7/13 • 50399
NAVAIR Public Release SPR 2013-619
Distribution Statement A- Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited, July 17, 2013