PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Navy aircraft logistics experts needed radio frequency (RF) amplifiers for F/A-18E, F, and G combat aircraft. They found a solution from L3Harris Technologies Inc. in Clifton, N.J.
Officials of the Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support activity in Philadelphia announced $9.6 million contract to the L3Harris Space and Airborne Systems segment on Tuesday for 74 radio frequency amplifiers for the F/A-18E/F jet fighter-bombers and the EA-18G electronic warfare (EW) aircraft.
L3Harris Space and Airborne Systems makes RF components for airborne EW systems on the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G, but does not specify specific models of standalone RF amplifier for these aircraft.
The L3Harris Clifton, N.J., facility builds the AN/ALQ-214 Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) onboard EW jammer on the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft.
EW countermeasures
The AN/ALQ-214 IDECM is a next-generation RF integrated EW countermeasures system. The legacy (V)3 version is deployed on the Navy F/A-18E/F aircraft to provide self-protection. The (V)4/5 version replaces the (V)3 version, and provides enhanced capability for F/A-18 E/F aircraft in a smaller and lighter form factor.
The L3Harris (V)4/5 complies with the Modular Open System Architecture (MOSA) open-systems standard that enables technology insertion. IDECM features autonomous operations to protect aircrew and aircraft against advanced RF threats.
L3Harris also offers general RF power amplifiers like the RF-411 for radios, which operates in the 30-to-520 MHz band, and the RF-410D, which operates in the 30-to-2600 MHz band, as well as RF amplifiers for EW that operates in the 6-to-18 GHz bands. but none are confirmed for F/A-18E/F/G.
On this contract L3Harris will do the work in Clifton, N.J., and should be finished by April 2027. For more information contact L3Harris Space and Airborne Systems online at www.l3harris.com/all-capabilities/fa-18-electronic-warfare, or the Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support activity-Philadelphia at www.navsup.navy.mil/NAVSUP-Enterprise/NAVSUP-Weapon-Systems-Support/Welcome-Philadelphia.
