Janes All the World’s Aircraft
Kahu Upgrade Notes
Under the project named Kahu (Maori for Hawk) the RNZAF fleet of 22 A-4K Skyhawks (17 A-4’s and 5 TA-4’s) are being upgraded and refurbished. Prime contractor for this program is SLI Avionics Systems Corporation of Michigan USA, but the manufacturing and installation of the upgrade kits is being carried out by the New Zealand Sub-Contractors Pacific Aerospace Corporation and Safe Air.
The Kahu programme called for the Skyhawks to be upgraded for their existing roles and to also receive improve capability for maritime roles and self defence. It involved wing spar replacement and the integration to a avionics suite, combined with the ability to carry Maverick or AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles and GBU-16 laser guided bombs and improved ESM/ECM . Main ingredients of the avionics upgrade were:
A TA-4K prototype of the Kahu standard aircraft (NZ6254) flew for the first time on June 7th 1988 followed by the single seat graded A-4K (NZ 6205) in August 1988. These two aircraft accumulated some 175 hours of test flying by February 1989.
Avionics include:-
The Kahu programme called for the Skyhawks to be upgraded for their existing roles and to also receive improve capability for maritime roles and self defence. It involved wing spar replacement and the integration to a avionics suite, combined with the ability to carry Maverick or AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles and GBU-16 laser guided bombs and improved ESM/ECM . Main ingredients of the avionics upgrade were:
- a modified Westinghouse AN/APG-66(NZ) radar, with the capability for maritime target tracking added;
- a Litton LN-93 inertial navigation system using laser gyros;
- a Ferranti 4510 series wide-angle HUD with video camera and two head-down displays;
- new digital flight control systems;
- addition of a radar warning receiver and chaff / flare dispenser; cockpit redesigned for HOTAS control
A TA-4K prototype of the Kahu standard aircraft (NZ6254) flew for the first time on June 7th 1988 followed by the single seat graded A-4K (NZ 6205) in August 1988. These two aircraft accumulated some 175 hours of test flying by February 1989.
Avionics include:-
- Westinghouse AN/APG-66(NZ) radar
- Collins AN/ARC-182 UHF/VHF and AN/ARC -159 UHF standby radios
- VIR-130 VOR/ILS with glideslope and AN/ARN-118 Tacan
- Smiths AN/APN-196 radar altimeter
- Hazeltine AN/APX-722 IFF
- General Instruments AN/ALR-66(VE) radar warning receiver
- Garrett digital air data computer
- Goodyear AN/ALE chaff / flare dispenser.