Lockheed Martin’s Innovative Missile-Deceiving Electronic Warfare System
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Lockheed Martin, in collaboration with the US Navy, has successfully tested its Advanced Off-Board Electronic Warfare system (AOEW).
Vice president of Spectrum Convergence at Lockheed Martin Deon Viergutz said: “The AOEW system is one of the most advanced, complex electronic warfare systems ever developed. AOEW is a force multiplier for our sailors that will help them dominate and control the battlespace without ever firing a single shot. It is designed with evolutionary capabilities, set up to be completely programmable so that it can develop, deliver, and deploy new techniques as the threat landscape changes.”
According to Interesting Engineering, the manipulation of the electromagnetic spectrum is crucial for weapons guidance, friendly communications, and suppression of enemy observations, and the US Army is working on improving its access to this valuable resource. The system has been successfully tested for its development and operation and can either work independently or with other systems onboard ships and assets.
AOEW’s architecture is designed to utilize open-systems architected solutions, providing benefits like rapid upgrades, interoperability, reduced lifecycle costs, and the ability to easily insert new hardware. This innovative tech builds a foundation for similar capabilities on other assets like small ships or UAVs/USVs.
The program enables US Navy vessels to detect and respond to incoming threats. When the program was first announced in 2017, the company explained that the AOEW can work independently or in conjunction with the ship’s onboard electronic surveillance sensor to detect incoming missiles, evaluate their trajectory, and use radio frequency countermeasure techniques to deter them.
Lockheed Martin reportedly plans to conduct further testing with US Navy helicopters in 2024 and incorporate feedback before delivering the first AOEW units in the coming year.
This information was provided by Interesting Engineering.
