L3Harris’ Viper Shield for F-16s completes safety tests
According to L3Harris, Viper Shield has been engineered to allow for future capability upgrades, allowing to adjust to an evolving EW spectrum environment. (Photo: L3Harris)
Viper Shield is L3Harris Technologies’ latest digital electronic warfare suite designed for F-16 fighter jets. L3Harris is reportedly providing this EW capability to F-16 fleets in six countries.
L3Harris has completed the safety of flight (SOF) test qualification for its Viper Shield AN/ALQ-254 electronic warfare (EW) suite. The system can be provided as part of an F-16 platform upgrade for Block 70/72 fighters, or in a new build procurement, the company said.
Throughout the test, the Viper Shield successfully handled the strains for normal and extreme flight manoeuvres and passed a series of environmental and electronic tests, the company claimed, making it now fit for flight testing.
“Completing the comprehensive SOF evaluation is a significant milestone for Viper Shield and for our growing list of global customers,” said Ed Zoiss, president – space and airborne systems at L3Harris.
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L3Harris on track to deliver Viper Shield in 2025
According to Zoiss, the EW system will begin flight testing “soon” and start delivering its capabilities in late 2025. L3Harris announced that Viper Shield had entered production on 17 September 2024. The company claimed that it was the only advanced EW solution that is funded and in active production for countries who operate F-16s.
Poland is one of the six international countries set for an upgrade to its F-16 fleet, with a request for 73 integrated Viper Shield EW suits as part of a Foreign Military Sales deal approved by the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in October 2024.
As noted by Shephard Defence Insight, the Viper Shield is intended provide US allies with cutting-edge countermeasures against sophisticated and ever-changing threats.
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