High-endurance electronic warfare jet in development for Navy
NewsNovember 11, 2020
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. Aery Aviation, LLC is the Managing Member of a Joint Venture (JV) that has won the five-year U.S. Navy high-endurance electronic warfare jet (HEEWJ) contract by Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIRSYSCOM) for a Firm Fixed Price of $146 million. The contract was awarded to Strategic Airborne Operations JV, LLC, which is a JV between Aery and Mountain Aviation LLC.
Under the contract, Aery will acquire 13 aircraft, including three models of Learjet and Gulfstream IV aircraft, and will complete design, engineering, modification, testing, and certification iterations from its Newport News, Virginia, corporate headquarters facilities.
The fully modified aircraft is intended to provide the Navy with next-generation services including stand-off jamming, electronic attack, and banner and target tow, flying approximately 4,000 flight hours annually both inside and outside the United States.
Aery claims it will be certifying over a dozen FAA Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) baseline and configuration changes for wing hardpoints, radomes, and a variety of mission-critical systems. Aery's theme of performance is to upgrade the Navy CAS HEEWJ fleet with modernized equipment and capabilities to replace the legacy equipment.
