BAE Systems has received a $95-million contract to supply advanced electronic warfare (EW) pods for the US Navy’s P-8A Poseidon aircraft.
The pods will be used to detect and counter air- and surface-to-air guided threats, protecting the planes and expanding their operating range in contested environments.
They will feature an open systems architecture to allow for easier modernization, making the pods compatible with future threat detection and decoy countermeasures while also hosting third-party EW technologies.
Work on the EW pod and its components will commence at BAE’s Nashua, New Hampshire, and Austin, Texas, facilities.
The P-8A is part of BAE’s Intrepid Shield program, a line of capabilities that promote full-spectrum EW solutions for military operations.
US P-8A Developments
The US Navy kicked off the latest capability modifications for the P-8A planes in April, centering on the supply of new combat systems for improved computer processing.
Other items to be implemented include new satellite communication systems and tracking management features.
The first batch of modified aircraft is expected to be ready by January 2025.