Raytheon Technologies Conducts Flight Test of Navy NGJ-MB; Annabel Flores Quoted

Raytheon Technologies has announced that the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB), built by Raytheon Intelligence & Space (RI&S), flew on an EA-18G Growler, marking the first flight test on the aircraft, the company announced Monday.

"After hundreds of hours of successful ground and chamber testing, NGJ-MB's first Growler flight test marked a significant achievement for the program toward Milestone C and IOC," said Annabel Flores, vice president of electronic warfare systems for RI&S.

Raytheon Technologies’ first flight was tested on Aug. 7 at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, meeting all objectives. The U.S. Navy's NGJ-MB is an advanced electronic attack system that denies, disrupts and degrades enemy technology, including communication tools and air-defense systems.

The company will continue to expand weapons system control, power generation and electromagnetic compatibility between jammer and aircraft in future mission systems flight testing. 

Raytheon Technologies will also enhance the performance of NGJ-MB's high-capacity digital waveform generation and active electronically scanned arrays in flight against a variety of targets. The company will collect data from these flight tests on the Growler to analyze Milestone C, the Navy's decision to start NGJ-MB production.

In addition to mission systems testing, Raytheon Technologies will begin aeromechanical flight testing to assess aircraft flying qualities and performance, following previously completed ground vibration, static load, and wind tunnel testing. Under the program, the company will also evaluate the effects of the air flow environment on the pod, as well as noise and vibration behavior.

To date, RI&S has delivered 10 EDM pods: six mission systems pods and four aeromechanical pods. A total of 28 pods will be delivered under the EMD contract.  

“It's a testament to the technology and the collaborative efforts of the RI&S team with the Navy's engineering, integration and test teams," added Flores. 

About Raytheon Intelligence & Space

Raytheon Intelligence & Space delivers the disruptive technologies our customers need to succeed in any domain, against any challenge. A developer of advanced sensors, training, and cyber and software solutions, Raytheon Intelligence & Space provides a decisive advantage to civil, military and commercial customers in more than 40 countries around the world. 

Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the business generated $14 billion in pro forma annual revenue in 2019 and has 35,700 employees worldwide. Raytheon Intelligence & Space is one of four businesses that form Raytheon Technologies Corporation.