MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – U.S. Navy surface warfare experts needed antenna arrays for the Lockheed Martin AN/SLQ-32(V)6 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 2 systems aboard Navy surface warships. They found their solution from Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions Inc. (CAES) in Lansdale, Pa.
Officials of the Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support activity in Mechanicsburg, Pa., announced a $16.1 million contract to CAES in August 25 antenna array panels supporting the AN/SLQ-32(V)6 electronic warfare (EW) system.
SEWIP Block 2 is an evolutionary acquisition and incremental development program to upgrade the existing AN/SLQ-32(V) electronic warfare system aboard surface warships.
SEWIP provides enhanced shipboard EW for early detection, analysis, threat warning, and protection from anti-ship missiles. SEWIP Block 2 will enhance the shipboard EW systems's receiver and antenna group to meet the latest threats.
SEWIP Block 2 expands on the receiver and antenna group necessary to keep capabilities current with the pace of the threat and to yield improved system integration, Navy officials say.
The Lockheed Martin Block 2 SEWIP design is based on its integrated common electronics warfare system (ICEWS), which enables rapid reconfiguring of the system with commercial technology.
Mercury Systems in Andover, Mass., is providing advanced radio frequency (RF) microwave tuners and intermediate frequency (IF) products for SEWIP Block 2. Lockheed Martin chose the Mercury Echotek series microwave tuner and digital receiver, which are optimized for fast tuning and high performance.
Developed by Raytheon in the 1970s, the original AN/SLQ-32 systems employed passive radar technology for early warning, identification and tracking of enemy threats. Subsequent upgrades provided an additional active capability for simultaneous jamming of several different threats.
On this order CAES will do the work in Lansdale, Pa., and should be finished by August 2027. For more information contact CAES online at https://caes.com/products/antennas, or Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support at https://www.navsup.navy.mil/NAVSUP-Enterprise/NAVSUP-Weapon-Systems-Support/.
