Taiwan’s defense ministry has set aside around 42.8 billion New Taiwan dollars ($1.33 billion) to procure the “Viper Shield” advanced electronic warfare system from L3Harris.
The system will be integrated into the country’s incoming 66 F-16V multi-role fighter jets ordered from the US, with the first two jets expected to be received by the end of 2024 after last year’s delays due to technical and supply chain issues.
This latest EW system procurement, in addition to munitions and support systems, was included in the Ministry of National Defense’s spending plan submitted to the Legislature on August 30.
However, Taiwan’s national news agency noted the procurement was absent from the 2022 to 2024 spending plans, suggesting it could have been financed through undisclosed appropriations.
Viper Shield
Officially named the AN/ALQ-254(V)1 All-Digital Electronic Warfare Suite, Viper Shield provides virtual electronic shields for fighter jets to detect modern radar systems and counter multiple threats simultaneously.
L3Harris, in collaboration with Lockheed Martin and the US Air Force, created the EW system, which is “custom designed to be baseline on advanced F-16 aircraft and maximize their survivability and mission success.”
Viper Shield incorporates a digital radar warning receiver that works seamlessly with the F-16V’s APG-83 active electronically scanned array radar for improved situational awareness.
Additionally, it’s equipped with a digital radio frequency memory-based jamming system for enhanced capability against advanced threats.
This software-defined technology’s open system architecture allows easy integration of new capabilities to effectively respond to changing combat scenarios.
Compared to older EW systems, Viper Shield has a lighter and smaller modular design for lower maintenance costs and easier upgrades without extensive downtime.
As part of an international upgrade program, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Morocco, and Slovakia also ordered the Viper Shield installation for their F-16Vs through foreign military sales.
