Northrop Grumman, Harris partner on jammers for the EA-18 Growler

Nov. 29 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman is partnering with Harris and Comtech PST for the U.S. Navy's Next Generation Jammer-Low Band Demonstration of Existing Technologies program.

The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Northrop Grumman $35 million in October to demonstrate existing jamming technology for the program. Northrop Grumman currently handles the integration of the electronic warfare suite for the Navy's EA-18G Growler.

Harris is providing electronic warfare equipment it developed, while Comtech PST is providing high powered radio frequency amplifiers, Northrop Grumman announced Thursday in a press release.

Harris equipment will be installed on the Northrop Grumman NGJ-LB pod.

"Harris is a leader in EW solutions worldwide and has extensive experience with the EA-18G Growler," said Ed Zoiss, president of Harris Electronic Systems. "Our significant investments in open architecture systems are ready made for the U.S. Navy NGJ-LB DET."

The NGJ will eventually replace the Growler's ALQ-99 tactical jammer system, which is used to attack enemy radar transmissions, weapons and communications.

The EA-18G Growler is an electronic warfare version of the F/A-18F Super Hornet carrier and land-based fighter used by the U.S. Navy and Australia. Roughly 90 percent of its components are identical to the Super Hornet, with an electronic warfare suite where the internal 20mm Vulcan cannon would normally be installed.

The Growler has nine stations for further jamming pods, sensors and missiles. It typically carries a mix of AIM-120 AMRAAM radar-guided air-to-air missiles and AGM-88E AARGM anti-radiation missiles designed to home in on and destroy enemy surface-to-air radars.