The US Navy and Raytheon have successfully completed the preliminary design review (PDR) for the next generation jammer (NGJ) programme, marking a key milestone in the acquisition process.
The company is now set to begin detailed design work on the airborne electronic attack system.
Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems Electronic Warfare Systems vice-president Travis Slocumb said: "Raytheon and the navy have made system engineering process discipline a top priority from the outset of the NGJ programme.
"The successful completion of PDR is indicative of the strength of our partnership, and we will apply that same focus as we move into the follow-on phases of the programme."
Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems Airborne Electronic Attack programmes director Daniel Theisen said: "The jammer’s open architecture design, coupled with high-powered, solid state electronics and agile jamming techniques, will enable us to meet US Navy electronic warfare mission requirements, while ensuring the affordability of future upgrades."
The NGJ is built with open architecture technology, using Raytheon’s airborne radio frequency systems, jamming techniques, combat-proven antenna array technology, and sophisticated, solid-state electronics. It aims to meet the navy’s electronic warfare mission requirements, and offer a cost-effective open systems architecture for future upgrades.
In addition, NGJ is designed to replace legacy ALQ-99 tactical jamming pods in order to offer new capabilities for the navy’s EA-18G Growler.
The US Navy plans to declare initial operating capability for the jammer in 2021.
Image: An EA-18G Growler aligns itself for an at sea landing aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Photo: courtesy of US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Torrey W Lee.
