The US Navy has approved the prototype design plans for the next-generation electronic warfare system for its F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet aircraft, according to a press release.
L3Harris is set to equip these aircraft with updated electronic warfare (ADVEW) technologies to protect naval aviators from emerging threats.
The recent Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for the ADVEW system prototype marks a significant milestone in a project backed by an $80 million contract with the US Navy, as mentioned in the press release.
“We recently conducted Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for our ADVEW system prototype, designed to provide F/A-18 jets with state-of-the-art countermeasures to complete their mission in an environment where threats and adversaries are becoming more sophisticated. We’re now aiming for Prototype System Integration Lab Testing this summer.
This PDR latest milestone is part of a $80 million contract with the U.S. Navy, and builds on L3Harris’ two-decade legacy of delivering advanced EW systems to the F/A-18.
L3Harris’ EW solutions area already successfully integrated on today’s F/A-18. Our integrated defensive electronic countermeasures (IDECM) AN/ALQ-214 on-board jammer (OBJ) helps protect the aircraft and crews against advanced radio frequency (RF) threats and sophisticated integrated air defense systems.”
The company has received over $2 billion in awards from the Naval Air Systems Command for the development and production of the AN/ALQ-214, according to the press release.
Without giving away State secrets, what can RusChi actually project at the jet to down it, electronically?
Generally, how does a baseline $2Bn+ protect a jet?
Are cheap drones more cost effective?
The electronics are EW hardened and tested to NATO and DoD standards. That is no secret just as ships are shock tested to NATO standards. Some of this will be replacing elements that can have better EW resistance such as removing cables and replacing with fibre optics (guess). Cables can pick up EW by inductive effects. Typhoon after T1 has very little copper wire for that reason. It might also include better surge suppression technology (guess). Ultimately there will be better software that compares multiple inputs to make it very hard to spoof. Hypothetical example: comparing radar picture with LIDAR… Read more »
So far as I understand it’s not about downing it but rendering it incapable of performing that mission. If you fly into an area with jamming so heavy that your navigation, radar, and targeting systems aren’t working right regardless of whether or not the plane can fly its useless in that airspace.
Google IPCRESS but also HERO.
Companies such as BAe, Leonardo, Rolls Royce and MBDA who are joint partners in FCAS/GCAP, will conduct EMC testing on their products that make up the aircraft and its weapons. The MoD for FCAS will have set at a number of key EMC requirements. These companies will have to at least meet or preferably beat those set requirements.
The MoD will have set the requirements based on intelligence assessments? But also from practical experience.
Just a quick observation, the banner picture is an E/A-18G. I was confused for a second as to whether this article pertained to the F/A-18Es & Fs or the E/A-18Gs.
I had the same confusion initially, but on reading the text, I assumed it was the E/F and earlier C/D, as it says Hornets and Super Hornets, not Growlers.
I find the whole article confusing (sorry George). EW Super Hornet usually refers to the EA-18G. What is a EW Hornet? Doesn’t exist.
The upgrade is not for the Growler, but for the standard C/D and E/F Hornets. This is part of the aircraft’s self defence package.