Lockheed extends SEWIP programme with US Navy and Japan

Lockheed Martin has won a US$113 million contract from US Naval Sea Systems Command for full rate production of Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Programme (SEWIP) Block 2 AN/SLQ-32(V)6 and AN/SLQ-32C(V)6 systems.

The contract will combine purchases for the US Navy (USN) and the Government of Japan under the Foreign Military Sales programme. It serves as a modification to a previously awarded SEWIP full rate production contract that allowed for additional production on the basis on need.

The sale to Japan is the first international sale of the SEWIP programme. Lockheed said it believed the sale would improve interoperability between USN and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force systems.

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SEWIP Block 2 currently delivers early detection, analysis and threat warning on dozens of Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers in the USN surface fleet. It is scheduled for deployment on almost all USN surface vessels, including both classes of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).

The US Coast Guard is also in line to have SEWIP Block 2 on its fleet of Offshore Patrol Cutters.

The reason for such a rollout is that SEWIP Block 2 brings improved antiship missile defence and situational awareness through expanded frequency coverage, increased sensitivity, advanced electromagnetic interference protection and a scalable open architecture.

“With this first purchase in Japan”, said Deon Viergutz, vice president of Spectrum Convergence, Lockheed Martin Rotary & Mission Systems, “we are setting the stage to continue to expand this key technology around the globe for an improved network of electronic surveillance.

"[It will enable] the US and its allied and partner forces to continue to evolve and outpace modern threats”.

Related Programmes in Defence Insight

Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

Arleigh Burke Flight III (DDG 155 - DDG 159) [USN]

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

Arleigh Burke Class (Flight III)

Arleigh Burke Class (Flight II)