Navy Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) contract won by Northrop Grumman
NewsMarch 06, 2015
LINTHICUM, Md. Northrop Grumman Corp. won the U.S. Navy's Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 3 contract for developing and manufacturing the next-generation surface electronic warfare system.
SEWIP will improve the AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare attack system via a series of upgrades that bring new technologies and capabilities for early detection, signal analysis, threat warning, and protection from anti-ship missiles. The contract is valued at $267 million.
SEWIP Block 3 will provide Electronic Attack capability enhancements required for the AN/SLQ-32(V) system to keep pace with the threat, according to the U.S. Navy. It will enable a common electronic attack capability to all surface combatants that have the active variant of the AN/SLQ-32. SEWIP Block 3 development will leverage technology developed via the Office of Naval Research's (ONR's) Integrated Topside (InTop) Science and Technology (S&T) effort.
Northrop Grumman, serving as the SEWIP prime integrator, will leverage its electronic warfare and active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar technology. The company's solution for SEWIP Block 3 has active and passive arrays, performing electronic warfare and communications functions with continuous 360-degree coverage. The system also interfaces with the ship's combat management system and multi-mission technology enables enhanced situational awareness to detect, track, and engage threats in high-clutter environments.
SEWIP Block 4 is a future, planned upgrade that will bring advanced electro-optic and infrared capabilities to the AN/SLQ-32(V) system, according to the U.S. Navy.
