BAE Systems has received $133 million in contracts to provide radar warning receivers (RWR) for the US Air Force’s C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft.
The announcement specified the delivery of the company’s proprietary AN/ALR-56M Advanced RWR, which had already been ordered for the service’s C-130J fleet and F-16 Fighting Falcon jets in previous agreements over the past 30 years.
The AN/ALR-56M sustains a platform’s situational awareness and enhances aircrew survivability by detecting hostile radars from the air and the ground.
Its scanning capability applies to dense environments and covers modern search, tracking, and acquisition radars.
Furthermore, the receiver can be integrated with a plane’s existing jamming systems, countermeasures, and avionics.
“The AN/ALR-56M has shown what it can bring to the fight, and it is keeping these critical aircraft relevant against evolving threats in contested battle spaces,” BAE Systems Tactical Aircraft Electronic Warfare Director Lindsay Gallagher stated.
“56M is a critical part of the fleet’s electromagnetic warfare capabilities. As a global leader in defense electronics, we are working hard to keep the F-16 and C-130J survivable and relevant for decades to come.”
Recent Electronic Warfare Projects
BAE Systems signed a contract in May to produce a radio frequency jammer for the US Navy. This solution will be based on an existing decoy system to improve enemy radar disruption and missile deflections away from combat aircraft.
Simultaneously, the company joined DARPA in a radio frequency sensor upgrade effort that aims to exceed the temperature limits of electronic warfare capabilities.
Last year, BAE and industry partner Leonardo accepted a contract to modernize UK Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jet radars.
In 2022, the firm completed the component design and evaluation for the Pentagon’s inaugural EC-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft.