PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md. – U.S. Navy airborne electronic warfare (EW) experts are asking the Boeing Co. for avionics and testing in preparation for major avionics upgrades to the Navy's carrier-based EA-18G Growler electronic-attack jet.
Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., announced a $60.1 million order last week to the Boeing Defense, Space & Security segment in St. Louis for the Growler Block II phase-one upgrade, otherwise known as the Next Generation Electronic Attack Unit.
This project is a major modernization for the Navy EA-18G Growler airborne electronic attack aircraft, which will improve the jet’s EW and electronic attack capabilities to counter modern and evolving enemy air defenses and communications. The plane has been in the Navy inventory since 2009 when the Growler replaced the aging EA-6B Prowler.
The project will replace or upgrade legacy jamming and mission systems aboard the aircraft, including improved processing hardware, EW algorithms, and modular avionics in an open-systems architecture. This approach will enable fast software updates and integration of future EW capabilities.
Multi-level security
The Growler Block II project involves multi-level security and resource management help the aircraft handle complex EW tasks and data from several different sensors simultaneously. One of the Growler's primary roles is to sense and destroy enemy radar-guided surface-to-air missile batteries.
The project includes reactive electronic attack measures that use advanced adaptive techniques like machine learning to detect and counter sophisticated radar and communications emitters and surface-to-air missiles.
Enhanced computing power and software enable the Growler to respond quickly against advanced enemy radar and communications. Modular hardware will make it easier to install, maintain, and update the plane's EW hardware and mission systems.
The upgrade also sets the stage for integrating advanced external jammers like the Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) pods, which will replace the older AN/ALQ-99 tactical jamming system.
Next-Generation Jammer
The NGJ involves several EW subsystems, such as the BAE Systems NGJ Mid-Band and NGJ Low-Band pods, which include active electronically scanned array (AESA) jamming antennas and signal processing computers. RTX Raytheon integrates the NGJ High-Band variant.
Core electronic components and subsystems in this project include the ALQ-218 airborne electronic attack systems enhancement; open mission systems modular computing architecture; reactive electronic attack measures and advanced EW algorithms; and Joint Tactical Terminal and SATCOM upgrades.
The ALQ-218 airborne electronic attack systems enhancement involves a wideband RF receiver that detects, identifies, and geolocates enemy radar and communications emitters. This will enhance ALQ-218 receiver hardware and software to improve sensitivity, processing speed, and threat classification in dense electromagnetic environments.
The open mission systems modular computing architecture introduces an open modular mission computing design for plug-and-play modules for EW processing that will enable fast integration of new EW computers and software without extensive aircraft redesign. Avionics upgrades also involve multi-level security and resource management.
Machine learning for EW
Reactive electronic attack measures and advanced EW algorithms includes machine-learning for automatic detection and countering of adaptive or unknown enemy emitters. These algorithms will enhance the aircraft’s real-time decision aids and increase autonomous EW responses.
Joint Tactical Terminal and SATCOM upgrades include new Joint Tactical Terminal (JTT-X) hardware and improved beyond-line-of-sight satellite communications to extend the Growler’s situational awareness and connectivity with joint and allied forces.
Mission system processors and EW data fusion involved enhanced mission processors and EW data-fusion hardware that consolidate inputs from several different sensors into a coherent threat picture. High-speed signal processing helps rank jamming responses in order of importance.
On this order, Boeing will do the work in Linthicum, Md.; Bethpage, N.Y.; Minneapolis; and St. Louis, and should be finished by February 2029. For more information contact Boeing Defense, Space & Security online at www.boeing.com/defense/fighters-and-bombers/fa-18-super-hornet-and-ea-18-growler, or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.
