EW pod undergoing maintenance at Montgomery Regional ANGB, Alabama. (Photo: USANG/Airman 1st Class Hayden Johnson)
The US Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) has awarded Global Technical Systems (GTS) an $81.34 million IDIQ contract for one lot of DLQ-9 pods for EW simulation, the DoD announced on 13 August.
One other bidder competed against GTS.
The contract also includes hardware for DLQ-9 pod modifications, and data required to simulate EW threats.
The pods and associated equipment will support work by the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division on EW threat simulation for weapons development, test and evaluation, fleet training and target applications.
Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is expected to be completed in August 2026.
DLQ-9 carriage system pods are used to carry EW countermeasures and emitter modules.
According to NAWCWD, the pods are used ‘throughout a weapons system’s life cycle, from rack units used in laboratories and hardware in the loop facilities during development, to airborne pods for use on manned aircraft for testing and fleet training’.
The Nordic country is set to bolster its defence capabilities after its foreign military sales request for AIM-120D-3 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAMs) was approved.
The programme will work to build and deploy the drones to Ukraine to support its fight against Russia, coming a day after Poland shot down 19 Russian drones in its airspace.
The addition of Red Cat’s Black Widow to NATO’s NSPA catalogue opens the doors for allied forces to more easily procure the AI-enabled drone.
The company plans to offer its D328eco commercial aircraft as a multi-role variant, and spoke to Shephard at DSEI 2025 about its ambitions for the future.
An evolution of the Tekever AR3, the AR3 EVO that broke cover at DSEI incorporates the thousands of incremental evolutions the company has implemented through its spiral development, geared towards delivering a constant stream of improved aircraft to Ukraine.
The new capabilities are based on platforms already in use or in development, and are designed to perform in demanding defence missions.
Connect with us on socials
