The F-16’s future electronic warfare suite is ready for flight trials after completing ground testing in a US Air Force anechoic chamber.
Northrop Grumman’s AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) underwent a series of simulated radio frequency spectrum threats at the service’s Joint Preflight Integration of Munitions and Electronic Sensors (J-PRIMES) facility.
The F-16-mounted suite “demonstrated the ability to detect, identify, and counter advanced radio frequency threats while operating safely with other F-16 systems,” according to Northrop.
This is the culmination of almost three years of US Air Force IVEWS system-level testing, encompassing multiple integration demonstrations, flight demonstration on a surrogate platform, laboratory testing, and full integration into an F-16 Block 50 avionics system.
Flight Tests
Flight testing to validate the results is a few weeks away, while an operational assessment is likely by the fourth quarter of the year, Air and Space Forces Magazine wrote, citing vice president of navigation, targeting, and survivability at Northrop, James Conroy.
Developmental and operational testing is expected to be completed in 2025, followed by future production and deliveries.
“I am optimistic the upcoming operational assessment flight test events will yield positive results and look forward to seeing this important capability continue to mature for US and international F-16 operators around the world,” director of F-16 International Electronic Warfare Systems, US Air Force Colonel Michael Rigoni said.
Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite
The AN/ALQ-257 IVEWS suite is stated to be on par with fifth-generation aircraft, enhancing the F-16’s survivability in contested and congested electromagnetic spectrum environments.
Its ultra-wideband suite is capable of detecting, identifying, and countering advanced radio frequency threats, including millimeter wave systems.
It is designed to be interoperable with the aircraft’s new AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar, an active electronically-scanned array radar, also developed by Northrop.
Northrop was awarded the IVEWS contract in March 2022 to potentially equip as many as 450 F-16s.
