Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, has been awarded a $590 million follow-on production contract from the U.S. Navy for the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) system.
NGJ-MB is a cooperative development and production program with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The contract includes delivery of shipsets, support equipment, spares and non-recurring engineering support.
“NGJ-MB is a revolutionary offensive electronic attack system for the joint force that puts a critical combat capability in the hands of our Navy warfighters,” said Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon. “We’re working with the U.S. Navy to ensure NGJ-MB provides the advanced electronic warfare solution needed as quickly as possible.”
About NGJ (according to the NAVAIR website)
Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) is the next step in Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA). It needed to meet advanced and emerging electronic warfare (EW) threats and provide 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 frequencies. Using the latest digital software and Active Electronically Scanned Array technologies, NGJ provides enhanced AEA capabilities to disrupt, deny, and degrade enemy air defense and ground communication systems. It brings increased power and jamming capability at longer ranges. Additionally, the system allows for rapid hardware and software updates to counter improving and evolving threat capabilities. NGJ will augment, and ultimately replace, the legacy ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System that is currently used on the EA-18G Growler aircraft. NGJ will be a game-changer for the warfighter and EW community.
AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB): As an external carriage AEA capability for the EA-18G Growler, NGJ-MB focuses on the middle frequency bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. The system comprises two pods per shipset, as well as small hardware and software modifications to the EA-18G Growler aircraft to enable carriage, communication, and employment. NGJ-MB achieved Milestone C in 2021, allowing the program to enter the Production and Deployment acquisition phase. The Low Rate Initial Production III contract was awarded in March 2023, and the first production pods were delivered to the fleet in July 2023. NGJ-MB program is a joint cooperative program between the U.S. Department of Defense and the Australian Department of Defence.
Next Generation Jammer Low Band (NGJ-LB): As an external carriage AEA capability for the EA-18G Growler, NGJ-LB will use the latest digital and software-based technologies that address advanced and emerging threats in the lower frequency bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. NGJ-LB is currently in the Engineering and Manufacturing Development acquisition phase and is a joint cooperative program between the U.S. Department of Defense and the Australian Department of Defence.
The U.S. Navy and RAAF will employ NGJ-MB on the EA-18G GROWLER® to target advanced radar threats, communications, data links and non-traditional radio frequency threats. The system reduces adversary targeting ranges, disrupts adversary kill chains and supports kinetic weapons to target. NGJ-MB allows naval crews to operate effectively at extended ranges and attack multiple targets simultaneously with advanced techniques.
Work under this contract will take place in McKinney, Texas; Forest, Mississippi; El Segundo, California; and Fort Wayne, Indiana through 2028.
About Raytheon
Raytheon, an RTX business, is a leading provider of defense solutions to help the U.S. government, our allies and partners defend their national sovereignty and ensure their security. For more than 100 years, Raytheon has developed new technologies and enhanced existing capabilities in integrated air and missile defense, smart weapons, missiles, advanced sensors and radars, interceptors, space-based systems, hypersonics and missile defense across land, air, sea and space.
About RTX
With more than 185,000 global employees, RTX pushes the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2023 sales of $69 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.