Raytheon secures LRIP contract for NGJ-MB programme

The US Navy has awarded Raytheon a low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract for the AN/ALQ-249(V)1 Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) electronic attack payload.

An EA-18G Growler from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23, located at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, conducts a NGJ-MB flight test over southern Maryland. The AN/ALQ-249(V)1 NGJ-MB will provide the EA-18G Growler with the ability to effectively engage enemy threats from increased stand-off distances, employ increased capacity against enemy targets, and support agile employment by operators. (US Navy)

Part of a larger NGJ system that will augment and ultimately replace the legacy ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System currently used on the EA-18G Growler, the AN/ALQ-249(V)1 consists of two pods – referred to as a shipset – carried on EA-18G underwing weapon stations. Designed to counter emitters in the mid-band frequency range, the system integrates gallium-nitride-based active electronically scanned-array (AESA) antennas, an all-digital receiver, and multichannel techniques generator within a non-proprietary modular open systems architecture.

The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) announced on 29 June that NGJ-MB had received Milestone C approval from the acting assistant secretary of the navy for research, development, and acquisition the previous day, giving the green light for the programme to enter the production and deployment phase. A USD171.6 million LRIP Lot 1 contract was confirmed to Raytheon Intelligence & Space on 2 July.

LRIP Lot 1 procures three NGJ-MB shipsets, associated spares, gold units for operational test programme set development, and associated technical data. Work is expected to complete by the end of October 2023.