Raytheon has completed a Delta Design Review - which reviewed the system hardware's ability to meet overall system needs - for the company's Advanced Electronic Warfare (ADVEW) upgrade for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
In December 2023 Raytheon was awarded a US$80 million contract to develop a prototype ADVEW system for the US Navy. ADVEW is designed to replace two legacy systems on the F/A-18E/F: the AN/ALQ-214 integrated defensive electronic countermeasure and the AN/ALR-67(V)3 radar warning receiver.
"This event is a significant milestone that demonstrates our multi-function approach of integrating electronic support and electronic attack to revolutionize modern electronic warfare systems," said the President of Advanced Products & Solutions at Raytheon, Bryan Rosselli.
"Our solution provides the needed capabilities to defeat the ever-evolving threats of the world's most dangerous adversaries now and well into the future."
Development and testing of ADVEW will mainly take place in Goleta, California. During the prototype phase, the system will undergo preliminary design review, critical design review, and flight testing over a 36-month period.
The 2024 Integrated Investment Plan (IIP) confirmed that the Royal Australian Air Force's fleet of Super Hornets will serve into the 2040s following a series of upgrades. Since 2008, the RAAF has worked hard to keep the Super Hornet fleet up to US Navy standards. That includes Australian aircraft being part of the US Navy's spiral development program, which delivers software and hardware upgrades every two years.