Northrop Grumman receives USAF EA pod upgrade contract
Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $52.8 million award by the US Air Force (USAF) to upgrade its electronic attack (EA) pods. The 27-month engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract has a potential value of $480 million including EMD, a low-rate initial production phase (LRIP) and five production options.
Northrop Grumman will carry out work that will see USAF pilots provided with increased electronic warfare (EW) protection during combat operations.
Northrop Grumman's solution, an upgraded ALQ-131 EA pod, is fully capable of operating in support of A-10, C-130, F-15 and F-16 aircraft and aircrews. The upgrade includes a proven digital radio frequency memory, a common component for modern electronic warfare systems.
According to the company, this digital receiver/exciter technology makes a fourth-generation aircraft survivable in a fifth-generation world. Northrop Grumman is utilising mature technology across a number of programmes providing scalable and economical unique electronic warfare capability to gain fifth generation abilities in form/fit packages for USAF fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
Northrop Grumman has delivered more than 500 digital radio frequency memories which are installed on F-16s and other modern fighter aircraft. The company has more than 60 years of experience in electronic warfare protecting B-1, B-52, F-15, F-16, F-18, F-35 and SR-71 aircraft and aircrews.
More from Digital Battlespace
-
US Space Force increases efforts to plug training capabilities gaps
The service has been seeking simulation and emulation solutions capable of reproducing multiple in-orbit threats.
-
Thales selected for Syracuse satellite communications terminals for French vehicles
The Syracuse 4B communications satellite, developed by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space, was launched last year, bolstering secure military satellite communications for the French Armed Forces. Thales has now been selected to provide terminals for vehicles.
-
The New Battlefield: Space Defence, Emerging Threats, and Strategic Opportunities (Studio)
The growing importance of space in modern warfare, advancements in satellite technology, and increasing threats from rivals like China and Russia were among the topics of a Eurosatory 2024 panel on military space operations.
-
BAE Systems to provide radios for South Korean aircraft
AN/ARC-232A is a Starfire radio that provides VHF/UHF communications to airborne platforms and the transceiver is software-programmable, allowing for multiple waveform support as well as optional national electronic counter counter-measure (ECCM) capability.
-
Lockheed Martin to work with DARPA on AI effort
During the 18-month period of the contract, Lockheed Martin will apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques to create surrogate models of aircraft, sensors, electronic warfare and weapons within dynamic and operationally representative environments.