Northrop Grumman has successfully tested a new electronic warfare system for its F-16 fighter. The company said the updates, called AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite, or IVEWS, outperformed the tests determined during the simulation. The new electronic warfare system will enable the F-16 to counter threats using modern radio frequencies.

The company will state that IVEWS has more efficient broadband power amplifiers and adaptive countermeasure modulations, enabling the aircraft to respond faster, cover extended frequencies and detect threats from all directions. The company added that IVEWS uses a modular open system design.

“This successful evaluation in very difficult conditions is an important step towards the deployment of the complex.‘, said Northrop Grumman.

In 2019, the Air Force selected Northrop Grumman to begin developing a prototype of a new electronic warfare system for the F-16. Northrop said its new system will be compatible with the AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar, which the company also produces. In May 2022, Northrop received another contract from the Air Force to prepare IVEWS for research and development testing and full equipment qualification.

Simulated air defense radar pulses were “injected” into the electronic warfare system to ensure the tests could recognize and counter modern threats, Northrop said. According to Northrop, the tests now completed were performed on a proven emulator that allows electronic warfare technologies to be tested in realistic conditions. As a reminder, L3Harris Technologies is also advancing the development of the Viper Shield electronic warfare system for the F-16 Block 70/72.