Raytheon has developed software to allow new weapons to be integrated onto legacy aircraft. The Envoy software allows weapons to be installed without changing the hardware.
“Integration of non-Universal Armament Interface (UAI) weapons was previously expensive and time consuming, requiring changes to aircraft operational flight programs — a very costly process that can take years,” according to a Raytheon news release. “Envoy, formerly known as Interface Bridge, will provide numerous integration options for UAI weapons without costly hardware changes.”
“The Envoy software solution is a real breakthrough for weapons integration,” said Mike Jarrett, Raytheon’s vice president for air warfare systems. “With Envoy, today’s state-of-the-art weapons can be easily and affordably integrated into legacy aircraft worldwide.”
Envoy can be implemented across various platforms and current bomb-rack systems. The software has already been demonstrated on F-16 and F-18 fighter aircraft. Work is underway for integration on the MQ-9 and other international aircraft.
