Boeing to Redesign Obsolete AN/AYK-22 Processor for US Navy F/A-18 and EA-18G Jets

According to defence-blog.com, the U.S. Navy intends to contract Boeing for the design and qualification of replacement components for the outdated AN/AYK-22 stores management processor utilized across its EA-18G and F/A-18 aircraft. Naval Air Systems Command’s PMA-265 program office announced the intended order in an October 9 notice after concluding that the current hardware can no longer be supported due to disappearing component availability.

The stores management processor operates between the aircraft mission computer and everything mounted on the pylons, including missiles, bombs, fuel tanks, and electronic pods. It acts as the central hardware that tells the jet what ordnance is loaded, manages weapon selection, and relays the release commands to the payload. The Navy stated in the notice that the AN/AYK-22 is unsupportable because key parts have become obsolete, a military challenge known as diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages.

October 28 deadline set for alternative capability statements

Although the Navy intends to award the order directly to Boeing under an existing basic ordering agreement without holding a formal competition, the notice functions as a sources-sought request. This mechanism allows the military to check if other defense firms possess the qualifications to perform the engineering work. Interested companies have until October 28 to submit a one-page capability statement demonstrating relevant experience in finding and qualifying obsolete electronic parts for military aircraft. Competitors must also show access to the required technical data and hold the necessary quality certifications.

In addition to technical credentials, the Navy requested that responding firms provide published price lists, lead times, and current stock levels for any items capable of meeting the requirement. The procurement order’s financial value, the exact number of processors involved, and a completion schedule were not disclosed by the military. Other companies must prove they can execute the design and qualification work before the late October deadline closes.

Sustaining Super Hornet and Growler jets into the mid-2030s

The processor upgrade forms part of a broader effort to keep the Super Hornet and Growler fleets operational for decades after production ends. Boeing’s assembly line in St. Louis is scheduled to deliver its final new Super Hornets in 2027 following a final Navy order of 17 jets in 2024, and the company has already ceased manufacturing the EA-18G Growler. On that very same day it chose Boeing to build the F/A-XX next-generation carrier fighter, the Navy disbursed $16.7 million to the company in September to organize the closure of both manufacturing lines, which involves handling a stock of government-owned tooling.

Meanwhile, existing Super Hornet airframes are moving through Boeing’s Service Life Modification program. This upgrade process elevates older jets to the Block III standard and extends airframe life to 10,000 flight hours, with modification work scheduled to continue well into the mid-2030s.