The US Navy has awarded an extension contract to ITT Exelis for the technology maturation phase of the next generation jammer (NGJ) programme.
Under the $20m contract, ITT will reduce the size and weight of the jamming system hardware, while increasing effective radiated power from the arrays.
As part of the contract, the company will also enhance technology of the exciter subsystem of the jammer that generates jamming signals.
Exelis Electronic Systems division president Chris Bernhardt said that the contract would bring the NGJ one step closer to the battlefield.
"This funding allows us to continue our innovative maturation work on digital beam-forming, electronically steerable arrays and other critical technologies that are vital to protecting our forces," Bernhardt added.
The Navy’s NGJ programme initiative aims to provide mission critical radar and communications jamming capability from an airborne platform for future defence scenarios.
The new jammer will replace the US Navy’s aging ALQ-99 jamming system, which is mounted on an EA-6B Prowler and the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets to intercept and jam radio frequency signals.
Exelis has expanded its capabilities with the recent universal exciter upgrade for the existing AN/ALQ-99 tactical jamming system.
The US Naval Air Systems Command has awarded technology maturation contract to Exelis in 2010.
Technology development phase of NGJ programme is scheduled to begin in 2013, following a request for proposal expected within the next six months.
The Exelis work for the NGJ programme is led by Electronic Systems’s facilities in New Jersey and New York, US.
