Exelis delivers enhanced electronic warfare technology for U.S. Navy F/A-18 Aircraft

CLIFTON, N.J., 31 July 2014. Exelis (NYSE:XLS) has delivered next-generation electronic self-protection systems to the U.S. Navy for its F/A-18 fighter aircraft.

“With enhanced software programmability and reduced size and weight, our latest system ensures that naval aviators stay ahead of emerging electronic threats,” says Joe Rambala, vice president and general manager of the Exelis integrated electronic warfare systems business area. “Exelis has helped advance the Navy’s electronic warfare mission for more than 16 years, and this milestone extends our record to 198 months of on-time delivery to the IDECM program.”

Exelis delivered the first nine of its full-rate production ALQ-214(V)4/5 electronic warfare (EW) systems. The latest variant of the onboard jammer subsystem in the Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) suite, the ALQ-214(V)4/5 boast a series of enhancements, including miniaturization and improved electronics packaging. The EW systems can be installed on F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and, for the first time, on F/A-18C/D Hornets, helping to ensure that both types of aircraft and their crews are protected from modern, dynamic radio-frequency threats, officials say.

The ALQ-214(V)4/5 follows the ALQ-214(V)3, the final production delivery of which was made to the Navy in mid-2013. The ALQ-214 is produced at the Exelis Electronic Systems (ES) facility in Clifton, N.J. ES is the lead division for the company’s EW strategic growth platform, providing advanced, integrated EW solutions to protect and enable domestic and international customers to perform critical missions.

Follow Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter (@Avionics_Intel), LinkedIn, and Google+.