BAE Systems has received a $349 million deal to modernize the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s electronic warfare system, the company said Wednesday.
The latest deal continues BAE Systems role as the offensive and defense EW system provider for the F-35, where it is tasked with providing enhanced upgrades for the AN/ASQ-239 Electronic Warfare/Countermeasures (EW/CM) system.
“The F-35 will be in service for decades, and we’re committed to providing our pilots with an AN/ASQ-239 capability that affords a decisive and sustained EW operational advantage,” Deborah Norton, BAE Systems’ vice president of F-35 solutions, said in a statement. “Our robust, modular architecture enables us to efficiently insert new capabilities, supporting the next wave of technical innovation while proactively addressing total product lifecycle sustainability.”
BAE Systems has supplied the EW capability for the F-35 over the last 14 years, delivering over 500 systems across three configurations for each of the aircraft’s low-rate initial production orders.
The Block 4 deal is a “multi-year, multi-contract design and development effort that will add 11 new capabilities” to the AN/ASQ-239, according to company officials.
The upgrades are a part of the F-35 program’s Continuous Capability Development and Delivery effort.