Next Gen Jammers
Jammer Next
Four industry teams vie to produce a more capable, next generation tactical jammer
By Bill Carey
With the award of technology maturation contracts to four industry teams in July, the U.S. Navy NextGen Jammer (NGJ) program within two years will advance from competing concepts to prototypes of the electronic warfare sensor of the future.
The same four contractors and industry partners participated in technology maturation trade studies awarded by the Navy in January 2009.
The NGJ is intended to counter advanced, integrated air defenses, communications systems, datalinks and non-traditional threats. “Pretty much any electronic or RF system, any antenna is a potential target,” said one program participant. The NGJ will replace the long-serving and continuously updated ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System on the Navy’s EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft. The Growler jams threat systems with up to five ALQ-99 pods mixed on underwing pylons to cover different frequency bands.
With the EA-6B being retired by 2012, the modular NGJ will enter service on the Growler first, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter eventually and possibly a future unmanned aircraft platform.
The competition to build the NGJ is spirited. Northrop Grumman upgrades Prowlers with the Improved Capability (ICAP) III jamming system, and served to integrate the airborne electronic
On Growler, the NGJ transmitter will work in concert with the two primary receive functions on the platform: the Northrop Grumman ALQ-218 wideband Tactical Jamming Receiver, which geolocates emitters to cue jammers; and theRaytheon ALQ-227 Communications Countermeasures Set, a digital receiver/exciter that uses the ALQ-99 pod Low-Band Transmitter for communications jamming. Other components of the electronic attack suite include an ITT-produced Interference Cancellation System (INCANS) that provides UHF communications capability during low-frequency jamming.
The aircraft can be variously armed
Four industry teams vie to produce a more capable, next generation tactical jammer
By Bill Carey
With the award of technology maturation contracts to four industry teams in July, the U.S. Navy NextGen Jammer (NGJ) program within two years will advance from competing concepts to prototypes of the electronic warfare sensor of the future.
The same four contractors and industry partners participated in technology maturation trade studies awarded by the Navy in January 2009.
The NGJ is intended to counter advanced, integrated air defenses, communications systems, datalinks and non-traditional threats. “Pretty much any electronic or RF system, any antenna is a potential target,” said one program participant. The NGJ will replace the long-serving and continuously updated ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System on the Navy’s EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft. The Growler jams threat systems with up to five ALQ-99 pods mixed on underwing pylons to cover different frequency bands.
With the EA-6B being retired by 2012, the modular NGJ will enter service on the Growler first, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter eventually and possibly a future unmanned aircraft platform.
The competition to build the NGJ is spirited. Northrop Grumman upgrades Prowlers with the Improved Capability (ICAP) III jamming system, and served to integrate the airborne electronic
On Growler, the NGJ transmitter will work in concert with the two primary receive functions on the platform: the Northrop Grumman ALQ-218 wideband Tactical Jamming Receiver, which geolocates emitters to cue jammers; and theRaytheon ALQ-227 Communications Countermeasures Set, a digital receiver/exciter that uses the ALQ-99 pod Low-Band Transmitter for communications jamming. Other components of the electronic attack suite include an ITT-produced Interference Cancellation System (INCANS) that provides UHF communications capability during low-frequency jamming.
The aircraft can be variously armed