BAE Systems has been awarded a contract to modernise and sustain the AN/ALQ-221 Advanced Defensive System on the U.S. Air Force’s U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, the company stated.
The contract, issued by Robins Air Force Base in Georgia, will see BAE Systems provide ongoing field service support, repairs and software updates for the aircraft’s electronic warfare suite. The work is intended to maintain system availability and enable the detection and countering of emerging threats.
The AN/ALQ-221 system integrates radar warning receivers and electronic countermeasures, providing U-2 pilots with situational awareness and self-protection capabilities. It uses onboard processing and long-range sensors to support operations in contested airspace, according to the company.
Tim Angulas, U-2 product area director at BAE Systems, said: “The Advanced Defensive System for the U-2 is part of BAE Systems’ long legacy in electronic warfare. Evolving, modernizing, and sustaining EW systems is in our DNA. Our efforts ensure they can operate effectively throughout their lifecycles.”
BAE Systems said it has continued to develop the system over its decades-long service life as part of the wider U-2 modernisation effort. The aircraft’s modular design and open avionics architecture are intended to support rapid integration of new capabilities as threats evolve.
I’d read that the Drone which hit Akrotiri landed close to the area where these operate.
High altitude ISTAR related, the War Zone has photos of what might be the RQ180, which made an unscheduled landing in Larissa of all places.