In coming years, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island’s EA-18G Gowlers will see some big changes.
Late August, the Navy signed a contract with a Florida-based defense company to upgrade jamming capabilities.
According to a press release, the $587.4 million contract awarded to L3Harris Technologies involves the engineering and manufacturing of the next generation jammer low band system, set to be operational locally in 2029.
Growlers are a specialized version of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet with radar jamming and deception technologies. This new jamming system is a replacement of the decades-old one known as ALQ-99.
The technology upgrade was originally split into three different jamming pods covering different ends of the electromagnetic spectrum. Mid band coverage was awarded to Raytheon in 2016, and low and high bands have been in budgetary and contract limbo.
Navy budget documents show the low band program to be a collaboration with the Australian Military and cover a larger capacity of enemy systems. The pods will be significantly stronger than the ALQ-99, able to reach many more targets in much less time.
The contract came with some controversy among contractors.
Documents from the Government Accountability Office, or GAO, confirm that L3 Technologies originally won the bid over Northrop Grumman, but the GAO decided to require the Navy to potentially reopen proposals after Northrop Grumman alleged the Navy failed to consider a potential conflict of interest—a Navy employee that had helped develop the program was simultaneously negotiating employment with L3 Technologies during the bidding process.
During a 2018 technology demonstration as part of the bidding process, Northrop Grumman had partnered with Harris Corporation, which has since merged with L3 Technologies. After an amended request for proposals in 2023, L3Harris Technologies snagged the award.
“The contract award is a major step for our fleet as well as the (Royal Australian Air Force)” said Capt. David Rueter, Airborne Electronic Attack Systems Program Office Program Manager, in the press release. “Our partnership with Australia to develop the newest AEA jamming capability exhibits our joint commitment to ensure continued superiority over the electromagnetic spectrum.”
