Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, is awarded a $12,419,391 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification adds scope to provide repair of repairables support for the Next Generation Jammer system demonstrations’ test article pods. Work will is expected to be completed in December 2022. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,000,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
The Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) is a program to develop an airborne electronic warfare system, as a replacement for the AN/ALQ-99 found on the EA-18G military aircraft. It will reach Initial Operating Capability in 2021. Next Generation Jammer (NGJ), an external jamming pod, will address advanced and emerging threats alike, as well as the growing numbers of threats. NGJ uses the latest digital, software-based and Active Electronically Scanned Array technologies and will provide enhanced airborne electronic attack capabilities to disrupt and degrade enemy air defense and ground communication systems.
The poor reliability of the ALQ-99 and frequent failures of the Built In Test (BIT) have caused crew to fly missions with undetected faults; the ALQ-99 also interferes with the aircraft’s AESA radar. The NGJ System is the next step in the evolution of Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) and is needed to meet current and emerging Electronic Warfare gaps, ensure kill chain wholeness against growing threat capabilities and capacity, and to keep pace with threat weapons systems advances and continuous expansion of the AEA mission area. NGJ is an evolutionary acquisition program providing capability in three increments: Mid-Band, Low Band and High Band.
AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) is an external carriage Airborne Electronic Attack capability for the EA-18G Growler that is currently in the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase with various testing underway. Next Generation Jammer Low Band (NGJ-LB) is an external carriage Airborne Electronic Attack capability for the EA-18G Growler that is currently in the Materiel Solutions Analysis phase executing two Demonstration of Existing Technologies contracts. The program will enter the next phase of acquisition when the Capability Block 1 contract is awarded fall 2020.
