EW contract for F-35 fighter jets signed between BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin
NewsApril 03, 2023
MANCHESTER, N.H. BAE Systems has received $491 million in contracts from Lockheed Martin to produce Block 4 electronic warfare (EW) systems for future Lot 17 F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft; these new contracts are in addition to the 1,200 F-35 EW systems the company has delivered to date.
The BAE Systems AN/ASQ-239 EW system equips F-35s with such EW capabilities as long-range threat warning, self-protection, and targeting support as well as 360-degree, full-spectrum situational awareness and rapid-response capabilities.
The Block 4 EW systems are slated to include upgraded hardware and software that improves sensing and signal-processing capabilities. The company says that new high-performance sensors will improve the EW system’s ability to detect difficult-to-observe threats and more threats simultaneously.
The AN/ASQ-239 system is designed and manufactured at BAE Systems facilities in Manchester and Nashua, New Hampshire.
