$184 Million for Enhanced EW Capabilities
Lockheed Martin announced on 11 February that the US Navy (USN) has awarded the company a $184 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to exercise options for full-rate production of Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 2 systems.
SEWIP is an evolutionary acquisition and incremental development programme to upgrade the existing AN/SLQ-32(V) EW system. SEWIP Block 2 will enhance the receiver/antenna group necessary to keep capabilities current with threat evolution and to yield improved systems integration. Under this full-rate production contract, Lockheed Martin will continue providing and upgrading the AN/SLQ-32 systems on USN vessels with key capabilities that determine if the electronic sensors of potential foes are tracking the ship.
The USN awarded the company an initial $148.9 million contract for full-rate production of SEWIP Block 2 systems in 2016, with four additional option years to upgrade the fleet’s EW capabilities. so soldiers can respond to evolving threats. Lockheed Martin has provided the USN with SEWIP Block 2 development, production and engineering services since 2009: it has been delivering and supporting the installation of SEWIP Block 2 systems as the navy upgrades EW warfare defences against anti-ship missile threats fleet-wide. Additionally, AN/SLQ-32(V)6 Design Agent Engineering Services are being performed at the Electronic Warfare Center of Excellence in the Syracuse, NY, facility.
“Threats are changing and evolving faster with advanced technologies and the SEWIP system will give the US Navy the advantage of remaining one step ahead of our adversaries,” commented the company’s Integrated EW Program Director, Rotary and Mission Systems, Joe Ottaviano.
