Exelis wins interim redesign contract for US Navy’s AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jammer

: Posted On Tuesday, 27 January 2015 10:19

Naval Forces News - USA

Exelis wins interim redesign contract for US Navy’s AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jammer

Exelis has received a U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center contract valued at $15.3 million to perform essential sustainment work on the ALQ-99 tactical jamming system. The ALQ-99 is used on the Navy’s EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft. The technology will also be provided to the Australian government through a Foreign Military Sales program, the first time the ALQ-99 has been made available to an international ally.

AN/ALQ-99 Low Band Transmitter installed on a US Navy EA-18G Growler
(Picture: US Navy)

Under the contract, Exelis will redesign three modules -- components of the ALQ-99’s universal exciter upgrade shop-replaceable assembly -- to extend the service life of the Navy’s principal standoff jammer.

As part of the redesign, Exelis will replace legacy application-specific electronic components with modern field-programmable technology, enhancing reliability and the system’s ability to adapt to changing mission needs. The work will also include extensive qualification testing to ensure that the aircraft can operate successfully in challenging environments.

An EA-6B Prowler is about to launch from a US Navy Carrier with AN/ALQ-99 Low Band Transmitters installed under its wing pylons
(Picture: US Navy)

“The ALQ-99 is expected to continue supporting the Navy’s electronic attack mission for several years until a next-generation solution is fielded,” said Mitch Friedman, vice president and general manager of the Exelis integrated electronic warfare systems business. “This critical interim support will equip the system to handle the evolving threat landscape and allow U.S. and allied forces to continue dominating the electromagnetic spectrum.”

For the first time, this contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy and the government of Australia through a Department of Defense Foreign Military Sales program. Work is expected to be completed by June 2017.

The ALQ-99 is part of a suite of electronic warfare (EW) technologies designed to enable domestic and international customers to perform their critical missions. Leveraging its decades of innovation and experience in the electromagnetic spectrum, Exelis has identified EW as one of the company’s four strategic growth platforms.

The AN/ALQ-99 Low Band Transmitter-Antenna Group (LBT-AG), developed by Cobham Defense Electronics, has been in production since 2005. The LBT is designed to protect strike aircraft, ships, and ground troops by disrupting enemy radar and communications. It is flown on US Navy EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G aircraft and Marine Corps EA-6B aircraft, and has been used in combat operations.