Brenda Marie Rivers
The U.S. Navy has demonstrated a Raytheon Technologies-built jamming system aboard an EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft for the first time at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland.
Naval Air Systems Command said Monday that Raytheon’s Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band technology was installed into the Growler as part of "safety of flight" checkout operations needed before conducting further test flights.
The software-defined jamming pod utilizes Active Electronically Scanned Array antenna elements to disrupt and defend against adversary aerial platforms and ground communications.
The Navy plans to deploy NGJ-MB to replace the Growler’s ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System.
Lt. Jonathon Parry, aeromechanical project officer for the NGJ-MB program, said the jammer will enable operators to disrupt more complex emitters while integrating disparate surface-to-air missile systems with larger Integrated Air Defense Systems.
Capt. Michael Orr, program manager for airborne electronic attack systems, noted that the Growler’s maiden flight with NGJ-MB validates four years of development and supports the Navy as well as Australian allies and the AEA community.
The flight comes nine months after Raytheon secured a $403.3M contract modification to supply NGJ-MB subsystems and test articles to the Navy.
