Northrop Grumman has conducted an anechoic chamber test of the F-16 next-generation electronic warfare suite.
The mounted AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) passed the US Air Force joint preflight integration of munitions and electronic sensors (J-PRIMES) test, paving the way for flight trials.
It was the first time the suite was installed on the aircraft following earlier tests.
“What makes the J-PRIMES so key is the fact that we actually had an IVEWS system installed on an F-16 and the whole F-16 went up into J-PRIMES,” Defense Scoop quoted Vice President James Conroy as saying.
“You’re no longer just testing the IVEWS system by itself, but you’re testing it installed on an F-16 so … the other APIs (Application Programming Interface) are up and running, we’re running everything and then you’re taking and doing RF threat simulators that are actually stimulating the IVEWS system, making sure that the IVEWS system can detect and ID while it’s installed on a platform.”
Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite
Northrop was awarded the IVEWS contract in March 2022, with the potential to equip as many as 450 F-16s.
The internal EW suite performs all electronic warfare functions, allowing the removal of the ALQ-131 and ALQ-184 electronic countermeasure pods from the aircraft’s centerline station, creating space for an extra fuel tank or other payloads, according to The Aviationist.
It covers a broad range of frequencies, detecting, identifying, and countering advanced radio frequency threats, including millimeter wave systems.
On Par With Fifth-Gen Aircraft
According to Northrop, the IVEWS provides electronic warfare capability on par with fifth-generation aircraft for the legacy F-16 platform, “enhancing its survivability in contested and congested electromagnetic spectrum environments.”
Moreover, it is interoperable with the onboard AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR), which can engage multiple air and ground targets.
“When an EW system and a radar are able to work together fully, as demonstrated with NGEW and SABR, pilots can take advantage of capability without compromise,” Conroy told Defense Scoop last year.
“With the radio frequency spectrum becoming increasingly contested, this critical set of capabilities will support the F-16 for many years to come.”