US Navy Plans to Use Boeing to Replace Obsolete F/A-18 Processors
The U.S. Navy can no longer support the weapons computer used across its F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler fleet because key suppliers stopped making essential electronic components.
The AN/AYK-22 Processor Obsolescence Notice
The stores management processor serves as the vital link between a jet’s mission computer and external armaments. It controls what is loaded on aircraft pylons, manages weapon selection, and passes release commands for missiles, bombs, fuel tanks, and pods. Diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages forced the Navy’s hand as component obsolescence rendered the hardware unsupportable.
The Navy plans to issue a sole-source order to Boeing under an existing basic ordering agreement. Other companies have until Oct. 28 to submit a one-page capability statement proving their experience in locating and qualifying obsolete electronic parts for military aircraft. Interested firms must also demonstrate access to required technical data, quality certifications, published price lists, lead times, and current stock levels.
Boeing Prepares to Shut Down Super Hornet Production
The redesign work anchors a broader effort to keep the Super Hornet and Growler flying for decades after production ends. Boeing’s St. Louis manufacturing line is scheduled to deliver its final new Super Hornets in 2027 following a final Navy order for 17 jets placed in 2024. Boeing no longer builds the EA-18G Growler.
Last month, the Navy paid Boeing $16.7 million to plan the shutdown of both production lines, including government-owned tooling inventory. On that same day, the service selected Boeing to develop the F/A-XX, the future carrier-based fighter intended to eventually replace both aircraft families. Meanwhile, existing Super Hornets continue moving through Boeing’s Service Life Modification program. That initiative upgrades older airframes to the Block III standard and extends their operational lifespan to 10,000 flight hours, with modification work scheduled to run into the mid-2030s.
Upcoming Supplier Response Deadlines
The Navy did not disclose the financial value of the upcoming Boeing order, the exact number of processors requiring redesign, or a target completion date. Defense contractors and specialized aerospace engineering firms have until the Oct. 28 deadline to contest the sole-source award by proving their capacity to qualify replacement parts for the legacy AN/AYK-22 system.