Raytheon has successfully completed effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) testing for its next-generation jammer (NGJ) array prototypes at the Benefield Anechoic Facility at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Conducted over a six-week period, in collaboration with the US Navy, the testing demonstrated that the NGJ will be able to meet the navy's stringent requirements for EIRP.

Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems business Electronic Warfare Systems vice-president Travis Slocumb said: "Raytheon and the navy developed a realistic testing programme designed to ensure that the NGJ electronic warfare system meets its 2021 initial operating capability commitment.

"Completion of EIRP testing, while an early milestone, confirms our progress to date and that the programme is successfully executing to both schedule and plan."

EIRP indicates the system's range and capacity for reaching and affecting multiple targets simultaneously.

The NGJ is built with open architecture technology using Raytheon's airborne radio frequency systems, jamming techniques, combat-proven antenna array technology, and sophisticated, solid-state electronics.

"Completion of EIRP testing confirms our progress to date and that the programme is successfully executing to both schedule and plan."

It aims to meet the navy's electronic warfare mission requirements and offer a cost-effective open systems architecture for future upgrades.

In addition, NGJ is designed to replace legacy ALQ-99 tactical jamming pods in order to offer new capabilities for the navy's EA-18G Growler.

Recently, Raytheon collaborated with the US Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) - Division Newport, in a bid to improve the features of its AN / AQS-20A minehunting sonar.

This partnership aims to analyse the system's synthetic aperture sonar in order to fully optimise its ability to capture and process high and low-resolution images of mine threats undersea.

Image: Raytheon's next generation jammer will offer new capabilities for the US Navy's EA-18G Growler. Photo: courtesy of Boeing photo.