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EDO M. Technologies, Inc. is a business unit of EDO Corporation, a supplier of highly engineered products for governments and industry worldwide. The EDO M. Tech business unit occupies a newly renovated 7,000 square foot production facility in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania. The core business was founded in 1989 for the initial development of Smart Rack technology. In addition to the BRU-57 Smart Rack production and SWARMER engineering development efforts, there are a variety of other R&D programs underway to develop advanced technologies that complement the core business. These include Active Separation Control (ASC), Smart Triple Ejector Rack (TER), Miniature Air Launched Decoy (MALD) aircraft integration (for Teledyne Ryan Aerospace), and the Next Generation Strike Weapons Test Bed (for Lockheed Martin Electronics & Missiles).
In 1989, the AFRL Munitions Directorate working with EDO M. Technologies, Inc., a SBIR small business, developed a "Smart Bomb Rack", the BRU-57, for the F-16 aircraft. The BRU-57 Smart Rack allowed the F-16 to carry two smart weapons per aircraft station where previously they could only carry one smart weapon per station. This doubled the aircraft loadout for 1000 pound-class smart weapons such as the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), and Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD). This increased loadout was accomplished through EDO M. Technologies' patented electronics design that allowed for the multiplexing of digital data communications between the aircraft and the weapons. The next generation of Smart Rack technology, SWARMER, focuses on the multiple carriage of miniature munitions. SWARMER has been prototyped and integrated with the F-22, B-1B, B-2, F-15, B-52H, and the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) through the Smart Weapons ARray Modular Ejector Rack (SWARMER) SBIR Program also managed by the Munitions Directorate.
Smart Bomb Rack
Before Smart Rack, an aircraft could only communicate with one weapon per station. The doubled aircraft loadout provided by Smart Rack is a true force multiplier. It offers the power, control, and digital data multiplexing to carry multiple smart weapons on one aircraft station. It cut the number of sorties required in half, and thus significantly increased the safety and survivability of U.S. aircraft and pilots. Substantial cost savings resulted from the reduced number of sorties. Aircraft fuel, maintenance, and logistics costs were also significantly reduced.
SWARMER
With SWARMER the Munitions Directorate is exploring technology that would allow multiple carriage of miniature munitions or four Small Smart Bombs at one Mil Std 1760 station. The main benefit to MMC is in risks and cost reduction. The directorate is currently working on integration issues covering multiple aircraft such as the F-22, B-1, B-2, B-52, F-15 and both of the strike fighter contractors.
Jim Barber
EDO M. TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
1458 County Line Road, Building H
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
Phone: 215-322-3057
Website: http://www.nycedo.com/edocorp/pageba7.htm
Email: jbarber@edomtech.com
