Raytheon Awarded NGJ-MB Pod Production Contract

Raytheon has won a $590M contract for the production of Next-Generation Jammer – Mid Band pods to equip U.S. Navy’s and Royal Australian Air Force’s EA-18G Growler fleets.

Raytheon, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation, has received a follow-on contract for the production of the NGJ-MB Pod (Next Generation Jammer – Mid Band), worth $590 million, on Dec. 6, 2024. The contract award comes as the U.S. Navy is working to declare the initial operational capability (IOC) of the pod by the end of the year and move to full-rate production.

The initial engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract was awarded back in 2016, with the first pod delivered to the Navy for testing in 2019 and the first production pods delivered in July 2023. The latest contract includes 13 sets of two pods each, of which nine pairs are destined to the U.S. Navy, while the other four pairs will be delivered to the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force), according to Australian Defence Magazine.

In fact, Australia has been cooperating with the U.S. Navy since 2017 for the development and production of both the NGJ-MB and NGJ-LB (Next Generation Jammer – Low Band) pods, further expanding the cooperation in 2020. The RAAF is the only foreign operator of the EA-18G Growler, for which the pods are being developed.

The NGJ Project

The NGJ-MB is a cutting-edge EW (Electronic Warfare) pod that denies, disrupts and degrades advanced radar threats, communications, data links and non-traditional radio frequency threats. The system, according to Raytheon, reduces adversary targeting ranges, disrupts adversary kill chains and supports kinetic weapons until they reach their target.

The pod is part of the NGJ project, which includes the NGJ-LB(Low-Band) and NGJ-HB (High-Band) variants alongside the NGJ-MB. The NGJ-LB’s contract was won by L3Harris, while the NGJ-HB’s contractor has not been named yet. The family of pods will provide comprehensive electromagnetic dominance to the EA-18G Growler, the specialized electronic warfare variant of the Super Hornet in service with the U.S. Navy and RAAF.

The NGJ project is developing a replacement for the AN/ALQ-99 airborne electronic warfare system currently equipped by Growlers from both operators. It was also mounted on the now-retired EA-6B Prowler and EF-111A Raven aircraft, with the latter integrating it a fairing on top of the tail fin instead of pods.

The AN/ALQ-99 is a very old platform, which first entered service in 1972, and thus may not be able to cover the full spectrum of EW that is required to neutralize today’s threats, especially in the current network-centric warfare. The pod also has several shortcomings, including interfering with friendly radars, being a significant load on the airframe, and imposing a high workload on the two-man crew of the Growler.

The NGJ-MB utilizes a fully digital, software-defined design, so the system offers rapid adaptability to emerging threats. It also has a modular architecture, simplifying maintenance and enabling future upgrades, ensuring that the system remains relevant throughout its service life. This capability ensures that the NGJ-MB remains effective against evolving enemy systems.

The jammer also employs AESA antennas, which allow for highly focused and dynamic jamming beams. This precision enhances effectiveness while minimizing interference with friendly systems. In addition to jamming, the NGJ-MB also supports electronic intelligence collection, battlefield network disruption, and the suppression of enemy air defenses.

According to RTX, the NGJ-MB jammer gives EA-18G crew an edge in today’s extremely contested electromagnetic spectrum through the following:

• Operating at significantly enhanced ranges;
• Attacking multiple targets simultaneously;
• Advanced jamming techniques;
• Rapid upgrades through a modular, open systems architecture;
• Scaling to other missions and platforms.

“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,” Barbara Borgonovi, President of Naval Power at Raytheon, said in a statement. “We’re working with the U.S. Navy to ensure NGJ-MB provides the advanced electronic warfare solution needed as quickly as possible.”

The first test flight of the NGJ-MB took place in Aug. 2020 out of NAS Patuxent River, followed by a Capability Block 1 contract awarded in the fall of that year. The mid-band first and then the low-band pods will supplement the legacy jamming system on the Growlers until the high-band, the last of the three increments, is fielded and the AN/ALQ-99 can be safely retired.

The Navy was aiming to declare initial operational capability (IOC) for the NGJ-MB system before the end of September 2024 after development snags set back the test schedule. However, the milestone was postponed again and now the service hopes to reach the IOC before the end of 2024.

“The U.S. Navy missed a goal to declare initial operational capability (IOC) for the Next-Generation Jammer’s mid-band [NGJ-MB] system in the fiscal year just ended, but still hopes to reach the milestone before 2025.”https://t.co/uv1DAznHMT https://t.co/LiCeBpB7Lw pic.twitter.com/FosBIUKXDj

— Doha (@Doha104p3) October 15, 2024

Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band Expansion

Raytheon has also been recently awarded a $192 million contract to develop an upgrade the NGJ-MB system, called Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band Expansion (NGJ-MBX). This modification will extend the frequency range of the NGJ-MB system to counter additional threats, says the company.

“Offensive Electronic Attack provides a tremendous combat capability supporting strike packages and kinetic weapons across a broad range of missions,” said Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon. “With this upgrade, we’ll ensure our naval aviators in all theaters are better prepared to counter new adversary threats and provide greater combat power throughout their missions.”

Guessing at least a change in radome material

Looking forward to seeing them on the China Lake Growlers pic.twitter.com/teVJ2VlXuC

— TaskForce23 (@Task_Force23) October 2, 2024

It is being reported that, in order to expedite the fielding of NGJ-MBX, the Navy skipped the competitive process and awarded the contract to Raytheon. “The Navy requires initial operational capability of the NGJ MBX system by [fiscal 2027] to meet a known threat,” said the service.

The Navy also added that choosing another manufacturer could have caused a delay of at least five years. This delay was deemed unacceptable as it would “negatively affect the ability for the Navy and the RAAF to counter enemy electronic attack threats.” Some of the pod’s subsystems, such as the radomes and the advanced frequency converter module, will be modified to cover the upper frequency range.

Conclusion

As the NGJ family of pods gradually integrated into active service, the AN/ALQ-99 jamming pods are gradually being phased out. The renewed contract for 13 more of the NGJ-MB symbolizes the US and Australia’s firm commitment to EW, and is a way to keep the EA-18G very much relevant in future conflicts.

As a more powerful successor for the AN/ALQ-99, the NGJ family of pods will be more effective in supporting the Growler’s mission as the west’s only fast jet specializing in Electronic Warfare, especially as potential adversaries such as China put in a renewed effort to field specialized assets like the J-15D and J-16D.