ITT Exelis has completed its technology maturation phase of the next-generation jammer (NGJ), installed onboard the US Navy’s EA-18G electronic attack aircraft.
During the 33-month technology maturation phase, the company designed, developed and demonstrated various subsystems, including advanced receiver controlled jamming, digital radio frequency memory and mid-band aperture, critical to the NGJ.
The NGJ will enable US Navy’s EA-18G aircraft to defeat integrated air defence systems and disable an enemy’s electronic communications, command and control capabilities.
ITT also tested the electronically steerable array transmitter technology as well as multiple critical technology elements such as digital beam-forming, mid-band power amplifiers and high-band power amplifiers and validated its high levels of technical maturity and performance.
Exelis Electronic Systems president Rich Sorelle said that the company has worked closely with the US Navy during the phase to ensure the technology is ready for the next stage of the programme.
In addition, wind tunnel testing validated power generation and control capability of the concept demonstrator pod’s ram air turbine (RAT), designed to generate electrical power for the electronic attack payload, at Nasa’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, US.
Technology maturation phase has validated the NGJ’s ability to transmit broadband, high-power RF energy directly at targets without unintended effects or disruptions even under dynamic environmental conditions.
"The NGJ will provide US and allied fighting forces with the tool they need to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum on even the most advanced battlefield," Sorelle said.
Work under the technology maturation phase was carried out at Exelis facilities in Clifton, New Jersey and at Amityville and Bohemia, New York, US.
Image: A US Navy’s EA-18G Growler aircraft takes off. Photo: file image.
