Shadin Avionics Announces $3.4 Million Contract Award for U.S. Air Force
St. Louis Park, MN – November 6, 2007 – Shadin Avionics is pleased to announce the award of a contract by the United States Air Force for their Fuel Quantity Intermediate Device (FQID). Tinker AFB Logistics Command has awarded a contract worth over $3.4 million to Shadin Avionics to provide a digital fuel quantity computer that will replace the existing fuel quantity conditioning unit on all A-10 Aircraft.
The FAS Military Analysis network website reports; “The A-10 and OA-10 Thunderbolt IIs are the first Air Force aircraft specially designed for close air support of ground forces. They are simple, effective and survivable twin-engine jet aircraft that can be used against all ground targets, including tanks and other armored vehicles.”
The primary mission of the A-10 is to provide day and night close air combat support for friendly land forces and to act as forward air controller (FAC) to coordinate and direct friendly air forces in support of land forces. The A-10 has a secondary mission of supporting search and rescue and Special Forces operations. It also possesses a limited capability to perform certain types of interdiction. All of these missions may take place in a high or low threat environment.
The A/OA-10 aircraft was specifically developed as a close air support aircraft with reliability and maintainability as major design considerations. The Air Force requirements documents emphasized payload, low altitude flying capability, range and loiter capability, low speed maneuverability and weapons delivery accuracy. The aircraft is capable of worldwide deployment and operation from austere bases with minimal support equipment.
The original service life of the A/OA-10 was 8,000 hours, equating to approximately to FY2005. The revised service life was projected to be 12,000 hours, equating to approximately FY2016. The most recent long-range plan has the A/OA-10 in the fleet through FY2028, which equates to approximately 18,000-24,000 hours.
The Shadin FQID will support the extended service life of the A-10/AO-10 aircraft. The FQID is a direct replacement for the existing fuel quantity conditioning equipment, yet offers updated capabilities or auto calibration, offers extended MTBF and 1553 data buss output capability for future growth requirements.
“This is a proud moment for Shadin Avionics because it is the largest single contract to ever be awarded in the history of the company,” says Robert Randall, Executive Director of Sales and Marketing, Shadin Avionics. “We are confident that with our new management team and the restructuring processes we have gone through over the last few years, we will perform in stellar fashion on this contract and hope to win more business as a result in the near future.”
The award product delivery began in October 2007 and will continue through 2008.
Since 1978, Shadin Avionics has specialized in the design, manufacture, support and distribution of Fuel Flow Systems, Engine Trend Monitoring (ETM), Altitude Management Systems, Air Data Computers (ADC), Converters and other instrumentation for turbine, piston and rotor aircraft for the military, general and corporate aviation markets. For more information, please contact Jen Marts at 952-927-6500 or visit www.shadin.com.