Navy boosts Raytheon's contract for Next Generation Jammer
The $13 million contract modification support development of the service's next electronic warfare weapon.
The Navy has added $13 million to the pot for developing the Next Generation Jammer, a which will boost aircraft’s electronic warfare capabilities while replacing an outdated, nearly 50-year old radar and jamming system.
The Naval Air Systems Command awarded the contract modification to Raytheon, which had been awarded the initial $279 million contract in July 2013, then survived a protest by bidder BAE Systems and some budget reductions expected to delay its initial operating capability from 2020 to 2021.
The Next Generation Jammer will replace the ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System, which dates to the late 1960s, on EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft. The NGJ, which integrates electronic countermeasures, cyber operations and signals intelligence, reportedly performed well in its first airborne tests in October 2014. The tests, held at the China lake test range in California, were conducted against advanced radars similar to those operated by China and Russia.
Despite its promising tests, the Chief of Naval Operations’ 2014 Position Report said reduced funding would slow down NGJ’s development a bit.
The contract modification covers work through February 2016.