Armada’s monthly round-up of all the latest electronic warfare news in the product, programme and operational domains.
ADVEW Delta Design Review
Raytheon announced via a press release on 4th December that the company had completed the Delta Design Review of the Advanced Electronic Warfare (ADVEW) system. As Armada reported in February 2024 ADVEW will equip the United States Navy’s Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet combat aircraft. The new EW system replaces two existing capabilities; L3Harris’ AN/ALQ-214 integrated countermeasures system and Raytheon’s AN/ALR-63(V)3 radar warning receiver. Raytheon has stated in the past that ADVEW consolidates the attributes of these two systems into a single architecture. Moreover, the company says ADVEW will deliver improvements in performance vis-à-vis these legacy systems. The press release explained that the Delta Design Review “assessed the (aircraft’s) weapons replaceable assemblies … and how each part of the hardware system works together to meet required specifications. The review confirmed that the system can provide critical electronic attack and electronic support measures capabilities.” The programme will now move towards US government laboratory testing “to validate open mission systems compliance and to demonstrate advanced system attributes,” the press release added. Raytheon told Armada in a written statement that this recent review “is an approach to provide critical design review level material overtime.” The Delta Design Review was performed in a company laboratory and “involved the review of airframe-conducted events.”
CIRCM for Chinooks
It was revealed in early December that Northrop Grumman has been selected to provide new self-protection systems to equip the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) fleet of Boeing Chinook HC. Mk.5/6/6A heavylift helicopters. Reports disclosed that the aircraft will receive Northrop Grumman’s Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM). CIRCM will help protect these helicopters against attack by heat-seeking, surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. The United Kingdom ordered the CIRCMs via the United States foreign military sale route in July 2024. The self-protection systems will equip new Chinooks that the RAF is receiving to replace Chinook HC.Mk.6A rotorcraft that are being withdrawn, having served since the 1980s. Northrop Grumman confirmed to Armada that CIRCM will be installed on ten of the new aircraft. The company added that installation and delivery is expected in 2027. Northrop Grumman declined to state whether installation work will take place in the UK or the United States.
by Dr. Thomas Withington
