The US Navy has handed ELTA North America an $11-million contract to develop and produce advanced airborne communications jammers for integration into fighter aircraft under its Stand‑off Jammer (SOJ) Jets program.
The company will design, develop, and fabricate high-frequency/ultra-high-frequency stand‑off jammer systems aimed at disrupting adversary communications and enhancing aircraft survivability in contested electromagnetic environments.
These systems are slated for installation on navy aircraft as part of the broader SOJ Jets initiative, reflecting a growing emphasis on electronic warfare.
ELTA’s work will focus on handheld communications bands that remain critical even as jammers targeting radar and higher‑frequency signals evolve.
Stand‑Off Jamming
The SOJ Jets initiative is part of an effort to strengthen airborne electronic attack capabilities for carrier strike groups, expeditionary forces, and joint operations.
Stand‑off jamming refers to techniques that allow aircraft to interfere with enemy communications and radar from distances that keep the jamming platform itself outside the immediate threat envelope.
A related element of this broader focus is the Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) program, which is modernizing airborne electronic attack systems previously dominated by legacy pods like the AN/ALQ‑99 Tactical Jamming System.
In December 2024, the navy declared initial operational capability for the NGJ Mid‑Band system, which is deployed on EA‑18G Growler aircraft and offers enhanced jamming power and flexibility compared with older equipment.
In November 2025, Textron’s Airborne Tactical Advantage Company won a contract penciled at up to $200 million to provide stand‑off jamming jet services through 2030, using modified business jets to train and evaluate fleet electronic warfare responses.
