Exelis announced last week it has received $9 million from the U.S. Air Force to supply spare components for electronic warfare (EW) technology provided to Pakistan under an existing contract.

The original contract, awarded in December 2011, granted Exelis $53 million to supply Pakistan with ALQ-211 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) systems to protect the country’s F-16 fighter aircraft (photo) from radio frequency threats. The additional funds provide for the manufacture and delivery of a range of spare AIDEWS components, following successful development and integration flight-testing phases.

“The AIDEWS pod offers dependable protection against a range of dynamic electronic threats. Working with U.S. and allied customers to stay ahead of emerging threats has helped make Exelis a global electronic warfare leader, and we remain committed to advancing this critical mission,” said Joe Rambala, Vice President and General Manager of the Exelis Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems business area.

Developed from the Exelis ALQ-211 (V) 4 system, the AIDEWS is a next-generation integrated radar warning system designed to provide pilots with situational awareness and protection against radar-based threats, including modern surface-to-air and air-to-air weapon systems.

The AIDEWS components will be produced at the Exelis Electronic Systems (ES) facility in Clifton, New Jersey, with deliveries expected to be complete in 2016. ES is the lead division for the company’s electronic warfare strategic growth platform and provides advanced, integrated EW solutions to protect and enable customers to perform their critical missions.

Exelis is currently developing more than 180 AIDEWS systems for six nations, as part of the company's FMS program, and has to date delivered 140 systems along with continuous software support to customers worldwide.