BAE Systems has received a $58 million contract from Boeing to start Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) of the F-15 Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS) for the U.S. Air Force.
The firm say that the electronic warfare and countermeasures system provides advanced electromagnetic capabilities that protect pilots and help them maintain air superiority during their toughest missions.
“The start of EPAWSS production marks a critical milestone and is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our industry team,” said Jerry Wohletz, vice president and general manager of Electronic Combat Solutions at BAE Systems.
“Our technology is cutting-edge, our factories are world-class, and our people are innovative and mission-focused.”
On their website, BAE say that the all-digital EPAWSS enables pilots to “monitor, jam, and deceive threats in contested airspace”. Adding that the system combines “multispectral sensors and countermeasures, industry-leading signal processing, microelectronics, and intelligent algorithms to deliver fully integrated radar warning, situational awareness, geolocation, and self-protection capabilities”.
“I’m proud of the overall team for their incredible effort on this program,” said F-15 EPAWSS program manager Lt Col Dan Carroll.
“The LRIP milestone is the culmination of years of hard work by a lot of great people within the government and our Boeing and BAE Systems industry partners. EPAWSS will significantly improve the survivability and utility of the F-15, and will be a great complement to what is already a very capable and lethal aircraft.”
Is this EW system still planned for just the F-15Es and F-15EXs and not the vast F-15C fleet?
It appears so.
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/boeing-to-begin-lrip-for-f-15-epawss-electronic-warfare-suite
“Once fielded on the F-15E, the EPAWSS will then appear as an integral part of the avionics of the Air Force’s forthcoming F-15EX fleet. The service’s full F-15EX fleet is set to eventually comprise 144 jets, sufficient to replace most of the Air Force’s remaining F-15C/D Eagles, but possibly substantially more. You can read more about the new jets here. At one time, it was expected that EPAWSS would be added to the Air Force’s F-15C/Ds, too, but this is on hold and seems to have been overtaken by plans to replace them with the F-15EX.”
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/37766/the-f-15e-strike-eagles-new-electronic-warfare-suite-put-to-the-test-in-big-exercise