Raytheon Secures $192 Million Contract to Upgrade US Navy’s Next-Gen Jammer Mid-Band.

Raytheon, a division of RTX, announced on October 1st, 2024 that it has been awarded a $192 million contract from the US Navy to develop the Next-Generation Jammer Mid-Band Expansion (NGJ-MBX). This project, carried out in collaboration with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), aims to enhance the capabilities of the current electronic jamming system and address emerging electronic warfare threats.

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Boeing EA-18G Growler Fighter Jet  (Picture source: RTX)

The NGJ-MBX, which serves as an upgrade to the Next-Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB), will extend the frequency range covered and provide increased operational efficiency, according to Raytheon. This system is composed of two pods, each equipped with Active Electronically Scanned Arrays (AESAs), designed to emit within the mid-band frequency range. These technologies will enable the air forces to better jam, disrupt, and degrade adversary technological capabilities.

The Next-Generation Jammer Mid-Band and its extended version, the NGJ-MBX, are part of a series of NGJ systems that will gradually replace the ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System, currently used on EA-18G Growler aircraft. These aircraft, deployed by both the US Navy and the RAAF, play a central role in electronic warfare operations and the protection of air fleets during missions.

Barbara Borgonovi, president of Raytheon’s Naval Power division, emphasized the strategic importance of this project: “Offensive Electronic Attack provides significant combat capability, supporting strike packages and kinetic weapons across a broad range of missions. With this upgrade, we’ll ensure our naval aviators in all theaters of operations are better prepared to counter new adversary threats and maximize their combat power.”

The development and production of this NGJ-MB upgrade will be carried out across multiple US locations, including Dallas (Texas), Forest (Michigan), El Segundo (California), and Fort Wayne (Indiana), with deliveries expected through 2027.

This new contract follows significant milestones for the NGJ-MB, which successfully passed the Milestone C phase in June 2021 and began production in July of the same year. The NGJ-MB stands out for its integration of Active Electronically Scanned Arrays (AESA) and a fully digital architecture. These technologies enable sophisticated electronic attacks, jamming, disrupting, and degrading enemy defense systems with increased precision and effectiveness.

This project highlights the strategic cooperation between the United States and Australia in the field of electronic warfare, as well as Raytheon’s ongoing commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions to enhance the defense capabilities of allied naval forces. The NGJ-MBX represents a crucial step toward maintaining technological superiority in a rapidly evolving electronic threat landscape.

With this NGJ-MB expansion, Raytheon reaffirms its key role in developing next-generation electronic warfare systems designed to meet the operational demands of modern and future conflicts.

RTX Next-Generation Jammer Mid-Band , NGJ-MB (Picture source/ RTX)