BAE Systems produces the EW countermeasures system for the F-35. (Photo: BAE Systems)
BAE Systems Inc confirmed on 28 June that it is ramping up production of its EW countermeasures system for the F-35 Lightning II multirole fighter, after obtaining a Lot 16 manufacturing contract for the AN/ASQ-239.
This Lot 16 award comes as BAE Systems delivers Lot 14 systems and executes material orders for Lot 15. The company already produces 18 shipsets a month and plans to reach 20 per month in 2022 to match LRIP for the F-35 aircraft.
Shephard reported in April that F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin expects a ‘ballpark $9 billion’ F-35 Lot 16 production contract to be signed off in Q4 2021.
BAE Systems calculates that it has already provided more than 800 units of the AN/ASQ-239 to date for the F-35 programme.
The AN/ASQ-239 extends detection ranges and provides radar protection, as well as providing the F-35 pilot with evasion, engagement, countermeasure and jamming options.
BAE Systems has been the EW supplier for the F-35 programme since 2005.
The revised funding allocation will see up to 23% of the additional budget put towards stockpiles of munitions, with the country’s GDP spending expected to reach 2.5% by 2030.
The design and development contract is set to run until the end of June and will now enable the partnership to drive the programme forward as it targets its 2027 demonstrator date.
The report comes as heads of industry bodies warn that the delayed defence spending plan has left smaller and medium sized businesses in stasis, unable to plan or seek out further investment.
Norway first scoped the requirement in 2022, and included it in a defence strategy document in 2023. The announcement of a new framework agreement appears to have breathed fresh life into the effort.
The effective use of the Shahed-136 in the Iran war has highlighted the need for countries to acquire a domestically produced, low-cost, long-range loitering munition, with the US, Turkey and European nations all at various stages of developing a similar capability.
The disagreement between French-German industry continues as both governments work to keep the programme alive and on track to develop and deliver a sixth-generation fighter jet.
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