Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NGC) AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) has completed U.S. Air Force testing in the service’s Joint Preflight Integration of Munitions and Electronic Sensors (J-PRIMES) facility.
During a series of rigorous tests, AN/ALQ-257 IVEWS was subjected to accurate representations of complex radio frequency spectrum threats in the J-PRIMES anechoic chamber.
The system demonstrated the ability to detect, identify and counter advanced radio frequency threats while operating safely with other F-16 systems.
The successful completion of this regimen allows AN/ALQ-257 IVEWS to begin flight testing on Air Force F-16 aircraft.
U.S. Air Force Colonel Michael Rigoni, Director, F-16 International Electronic Warfare Systems, commented:: “J-PRIMES marks the culmination of three years of extensive U.S. government IVEWS system-level testing that’s encompassed multiple Integration Demonstrations and Applications Lab (IDAL) events, flight demonstration on a surrogate platform during NORTHERN LIGHTNING 2021, Laboratory Intelligent Validated Emulator (LIVE) closed-loop testing and full integration into the Hill Air Force Base F-16 Block 50 avionics system integration lab.”
“I am optimistic the upcoming operational assessment flight test events will yield positive results and look forward to seeing this important capability continue to mature for U.S. and international F-16 operators around the world,” he added.
James Conroy, Vice President, Navigation, Targeting and Survivability, Northrop Grumman, said: “Building on multiple IDAL events, flight demonstration on a surrogate platform and LIVE closed loop testing, this successful completion of J-PRIMES testing confirms the maturity of IVEWS and its readiness to protect the U.S. and international F-16 fleets.”
The AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) is designed to give F-16 electronic warfare capabilities on a par with fifth-generation aircraft, significantly enhancing survivability for operations in contested and congested electromagnetic spectrum environments. Its ultra-wideband suite can detect, identify and counter advanced radio frequency threats, including millimeter wave systems. IVEWS’s full pulse-to-pulse interoperability with the AN/APG-83 SABR AESA radar provides capability without compromise. It was selected as the U.S. program of record for F-16 electronic warfare in 2019.
Northrop Grumman (NGC) is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. NGC’s pioneering solutions equip customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe.
