Digital Integrated Attack Navigation Equipment

Digital Integrated Attack Navigation Equipment. It is a sophisticated avionics suite developed for United States Air Force tactical aircraft during the Cold War. The system integrated multiple navigation and weapons delivery functions into a single digital computer, significantly enhancing mission effectiveness. Its introduction marked a major transition from analog to digital attack aircraft systems.

Overview

The development of this system was driven by the need for greater accuracy in all-weather bombing and navigation during the Vietnam War. It represented a key technological advancement over earlier systems like the AN/ASN-90 and AN/ASQ-91. Primarily deployed on aircraft such as the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark and the LTV A-7 Corsair II, it provided a foundational architecture for later fly-by-wire and glass cockpit technologies. The program was managed by the Air Force Systems Command with significant contributions from Texas Instruments.

System Components

The core of the system was a central digital computer that processed data from multiple sensors. Key inputs came from the AN/APQ-110 terrain-following radar, an inertial navigation system, and a radar altimeter. The computer interfaced with the aircraft's air data computer and weapons release system. Pilot interaction was managed through a dedicated control and display unit located in the cockpit, which presented critical targeting and navigation information. This integration reduced pilot workload during complex low-level flight profiles.

Operational Capabilities

Its primary function was to enable precise terrain-following and blind bombing in adverse conditions. The system could autonomously guide an aircraft along a pre-planned route, maintaining a set altitude above ground level using radar data. For attack missions, it computed continuous bomb release point solutions, integrating data on airspeed, altitude, and target coordinates. This allowed for effective interdiction and close air support against targets defended by Soviet-supplied surface-to-air missile systems like the S-75 Dvina.

Development and Deployment

Initial development contracts were awarded in the late 1960s following operational lessons from Operation Rolling Thunder. The first operational test unit was delivered to the Tactical Air Command in 1972. Full-scale production and deployment accelerated in the mid-1970s, with systems fielded on F-111D and F-111F variants. The United States Navy also adopted a version for its A-7E Corsair IIs. The system saw significant combat use during Operation Linebacker II and later during Operation El Dorado Canyon.

Variants and Upgrades

Several variants were produced, including specialized models for the F-111C operated by the Royal Australian Air Force. A major upgrade program, often involving Honeywell, integrated Global Positioning System receivers in the 1980s, creating a hybrid INS/GPS navigation capability. These improved systems were used extensively during the Gulf War on aircraft like the F-111F. The core digital architecture directly influenced the development of the Pave Tack targeting pod and later systems in the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Category:Avionics Category:Military electronics of the United States Category:Aircraft instruments