Northrop Grumman presses on with next-gen EW suite for F-16s
USAF F-16 Fighting Falcon. (Photo: USAF/Tech Sgt John Raven)
Northrop Grumman is integrating its AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite aboard USAF F-16 fighter aircraft.
The USAF has chosen Northrop Grumman to continue preparing the AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) for developmental test and full internal hardware qualification aboard F-16 fighter aircraft.
IVEWS uses an open ultra-wideband architecture to provide ‘the instantaneous bandwidth needed to defeat modern threats’, Northrop Grumman announced on 3 May.
The EW system is interoperable with the APG-83 scalable agile beam AESA radar aboard the F-16, as shown in 2021 during Exercise Northern Lightning.
Northrop Grumman is preparing IVEWS for hardware and software verification tests before planned flights on multiple F-16s later in 2022.
‘The company will also continue development of the infrastructure needed to move the system to production once testing is complete,’ it added.
The production and fielding of IVEWS are expected to begin in 2024.
Describing a ‘rigorous’ testing programme for IVEWS, James Conroy, VP for navigation, targeting and survivability at Northrop Grumman, added: ‘As advanced radio frequency threats proliferate, the capabilities IVEWS will provide are critical for the fourth-generation fighter fleet.’
More from Digital Battlespace
-
![Northrop Grumman hones US Space Force satellite design in virtual environment]()
Northrop Grumman hones US Space Force satellite design in virtual environment
The company has applied its Highly Immersive Virtual Environment technology to the design process of polar overwatch satellites ordered by the US Space Force.
-
![Northrop Grumman joins USAF effort to build digital network backbone]()
Northrop Grumman joins USAF effort to build digital network backbone
The company will join Phase 1 of the Common Tactical Edge Network effort to enable Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2).
-
![Raytheon satellite network will help track hypersonic threats]()
Raytheon satellite network will help track hypersonic threats
Raytheon Technologies has received an award worth over $250 million to design, develop and deliver a seven-vehicle networked missile tracking satellite constellation from the US Space Development …
-
![Australia's C4i secures Asia-Pacific air defence voice comms contract]()
Australia's C4i secures Asia-Pacific air defence voice comms contract
Frequentis Group's Australian subsidiary C4i has been awarded a contract to provide a VOIP communications control system to enhance a major Asia-Pacific national air defence network.
-
![Ukraine adds automated wide-area reconnaissance system]()
Ukraine adds automated wide-area reconnaissance system
Rheinmetall and DefSecIntel of Estonia are supplying a number of mast-mounted mobile surveillance systems for use in Ukraine.
