Switzerland approved for F/A-18 upgrade package

July 31 (UPI) -- A proposed deal to upgrade Switzerland's F/A-18 fighter aircraft through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program has won State Department approval.

Notification of the proposed sales package, worth $115 million, was given to Congress by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which manages the FMS program.

"The proposed sale will allow the Swiss Air Force to extend the useful life of its F/A-18 fighter aircraft and enhance their survivability," the agency said in a press release. "Further, the proposed sale will increase Switzerland's tactical aviation operational capabilities."

The sale of a Service Life Extension Program for the aircraft would include as many as 50 Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems with Concurrent Multi-Net 4 capability, 50 ARC-210 GEN 5 RT-1900A(C) radios with a second-generation anti-jam tactical UHF radio for NATO frequency hopping, and 20 joint helmet-mounted cueing system/night vision cueing display systems.

Software enhancements to the APG-73 radar, improvements to the F/A-18 Software Configuration Set 29C, and sustainment for the ALQ-165 Airborne Self Protection Jammer system are also included in the deal.

The package would have provisions for system integration and testing, software development and integration, support equipment, spare and repair parts, and training and logistics support.

Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, Data Link Solutions LLC, and Rockwell Collins would be the principal contractors for all work.