The U.S. Navy is evaluating a scaled-down version of the Surface Electronic
Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) system for potential incorporation
on future Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), Naval Sea Systems Command announced,
Nov. 20. SEWIP is an evolutionary development block upgrade program
for the SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare (EW) System and will be designated
as SLQ-32C(V)6. Still in the early stages of development, its purpose
is to provide LCS with an improved electronic warfare suite to improve
the ship's defense capabilities. |
"This
system is another example of the close partnerships to deliver a tremendous
improvement in warfighting capability to our Sailors," said Capt.
Doug Small, major program manager for Above Water Sensors (PEO IWS 2.0).
"By maintaining commonality with SEWIP Block 2, we are able to
simultaneously reduce life-cycle sustainment costs for the fleet."
Upgrades to the antenna, receiver and combat system interface allow
the SEWIP system to pace new threats; improve signal detection, measurement
accuracies and classification; and mitigate electromagnetic interference.
AN/SLQ-32(V)6 provides enhanced electronic support capability that allows
better detection of current threats. The SEWIP Block 3 will include
improvements for the electronic attack by providing integrated countermeasures
against radio frequency-guided threats and extending frequency range
coverage. The Block 3 will be installed on surface combatants that have
the existing active version of the SLQ-32.
An at-sea demonstration to test the effectiveness of the system's capabilities
on LCS is scheduled for December 2014 aboard USS Freedom (LCS 1) off
the coast of San Diego.
In September this year, the U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin an additional
$147 million contract to upgrade the fleet’s electronic warfare
defenses against evolving threats, such as anti-ship missiles. Under
this low-rate initial production contract for Block 2 of the Navy’s
Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP), Lockheed Martin
will provide 14 systems to upgrade the AN/SLQ-32(V)2 system on all U.S.
aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers and other warships with key
capabilities to determine if the electronic sensors of potential foes
are tracking the ship.
Block 2 is the latest in an evolutionary succession of improvement “blocks”
the Navy is pursuing for its shipboard electronic warfare system, which
will incrementally add new defensive technologies and functional capabilities.
In 2013, Lockheed Martin was awarded 10 systems as part of low-rate
initial production, which the company is now in the process of delivering
to the fleet. In July, the Navy installed Lockheed Martin’s SEWIP
Block 2 system on USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) for operational testing. |
U.S. Navy installed the Lockheed Martin SEWIP Block 2 System on DDG-96
for operational testing over the summer.