Poland Picks Viper Shield Electronic Warfare Suite for F-16 Block 70 Upgrade
The Polish government has selected L3Harris Technologies’ AN/ALQ-254(V)1 Viper Shield electronic warfare suite for the country’s F-16 Viper upgrade program.
Northrop Grumman also reportedly offered its AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) for the program, which will modernize the country’s fleet of 48 F-16 Block 52 aircraft to the latest Block 70 configuration.
“We are honored Poland selected us to upgrade their F-16V multirole fighters,” President of L3Harris’ Space and Airborne Systems Ed Zoiss said.
“Viper Shield is in production and will enable pilots to identify, locate, and counter rapidly evolving threats faster with enhanced success.”
Electronic Shield
The electronic warfare suite is available for the Block 70/72 configuration — already ordered by seven countries — and as a retrofit option for earlier F-16 variants.
The system creates a virtual electronic shield around the aircraft, enabling pilots to carry out complex missions with greater safety and survivability.
It combines a digital radar warning receiver with a fully integrated digital radio frequency memory-based jamming system in an internally mounted configuration.
The digital radar warning receiver integrates seamlessly with the aircraft’s APG-83 active electronically scanned array radar, enhancing situational awareness and threat response.
Additional Features
Additionally, a new pilot-vehicle interface provides enhanced situational awareness and enables more intuitive interaction with the system.
The system’s modular design allows the integration of additional electronic warfare applications to deal with emerging and future threats.
It is offered in two configurations: fully integrated within the aircraft or as an external pod.
