US Navy to develop electronic warfare systems next generation (NGJ — Next Generation Jammer) that will allow to suppress the high-tech air defense of Russia and China, writes the journal the National Interest. The developed system will allow U.S. strike aircraft to destroy enemy targets without the risk of being seen anti-aircraft missile systems.
“The whole idea is to prevent the enemy’s air defense systems to notice the source of the attack — regardless of the type of aircraft that we protect. Our goal is to suppress enemy air defenses and ensure implementation of the mission. It’s not just about to let the aircraft survive, but also to provide the task — to reset ammo and return home,” explained the commander of the Navy electronic intelligence of the USA Ernst Wilson in an interview.
The “muffler” next generation referred to in the article, will be installed on carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft of the U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler — two “suppressor” on each machine. They will replace current systems AN/ALQ-99.
As with any EW task AN/ALQ-99 — cover shock aviation groups by creating a counter noise interference radar stations (RLS) detection and targeting anti-aircraft guided missiles (AAGM), and on-Board radar fighter aircraft air defense of the enemy. Return create interference on the radar screen moving marks, which impede the provision of real goals. Noise have a masking effect on the useful signals and can be used for suppression of radio electronic equipment for various purposes, says a resource Dogswar.
The main problem of the AN/ALQ-99, however, is that the device was designed 40 years ago and therefore are not effective enough against modern digital threats posed by radars with active phased array antenna. The new NGJ will be able to successfully resist them due to the fact that will work on multiple frequencies simultaneously and have an active antenna with electronic beam scanning. NGJ is being designed with an emphasis on “open architecture”, involving the integration of new technologies with the development of threats.
Despite the fact that the EW systems are inherently purely defensive technology, the NGJ will be configured in the offensive functionality to support the strike aircraft such as the F/A-18, F-35 and B-2. The developers have aimed to construct a device that would have completely eliminated the possibility for the enemy to capture the target aircraft of the United States.
“Our goal is to allow the aircraft to block the signals from the enemy radar,” explained Winston.
NGJ can be particularly useful when it comes to protecting fighters and stealth platforms like the B-2 bomber and multi-role stealth fighter the F-35. The technology is designed to create interference, blocks and blind spots in radar systems of the enemy, such as ground-based air defense. Due to this, the attack will be able to log on to the target airspace is tightly protected air defense, bombed and safely get out of there.
In the modern world NGJ vital since by itself, the stealth technology is no longer a guarantee against the existing and prospective technologies of defense. Modern air defense systems With-300 and With-400 — increase the distance of the capture of stealth aircraft and make this a wider frequency range. Promising PVO will operate on the basis of more powerful processors and use digital and network technologies, but Winston says that the NGJ will be able to resist them.
“It’s a constant game of “cat and mouse” between the defense and attack aircraft. We develop stealth technology — they develop a counter-technology. In response we raise our blocking REB-able.”
Without going into details on what kind of offensive capabilities will have NGJ, Winston assured that this device will be able to drown out the signals on any radio frequency in the receivers and transmitters.
Earlier, the U.S. Navy contracted with Raytheon Company a contract for $1 billion to develop NGJ — advanced offensive electronic technology, which combines powerful and flexible methods of killing with state of the art solid-state electronics, said in a statement. The Navy is planning to procure 135 it sets the NGJ system for the Growler. At the same time Winston did not exclude that in the future such systems will be supplied along with the finished aircraft.
“This will be an important milestone in the development of REB, said Rick Yusi, President of aerospace systems Raytheon. — NGJ is the machine that will become the advanced technology of electronic attack, and one that can easily be adapted to changing conditions and threats. High level systems will provide our troops the technological advantage necessary to ensure mission success and safe return home.”
According to a statement posted on the website of the Raytheon NGJ “will satisfy the current needs of the mission of the U.S. Navy, while providing a cost-effective architecture of open systems for future updates”.
NGJ is planned to put into service by 2021.
