Australia commits to Next Generation Jammer

Australia announced a $192M USD commitment to assist with development of the Next Generation Jammer for the EA-18G. The NGJ will replace the ALP-99 jamming pod currently carried.

By partnering with the US, Australia guarantees commonality with the US Growler fleet. Australia is the only nation outside of the US to operate the Growler.

www.defensenews.com...

Development companies here are far and few between now.

a reply to: Blackfinger

Signing on means technology can go back to the US as well if a company in Australia comes up with something useful to the growler fleet. In a way it opens more does than it shuts because Australia doesn't have the airframe or the tech to make its own growler without spending the money to start from scratch.

They would have far more luck approaching Thales or BAE for tech.Only substantial thinktanks here are CSIRO and some Universities.Science in Australia is very hard to get in to.

Australian F/A-18 cost us (aus) more than the ticket price because we built them at Avalon in Melbourne. Boeing obviously supported this (I think 70 were assembled there) but are now gone from the production scene (none) in Aus, Melbourne Universities generates many of the countries best Aerospace Engineers as a legacy to this agreement.

Through BAE Aus, we are cutting, no bleeding edge in certain projects. I cannot answer other contractors but Nulka is world class and the P-3 Orion from Aus has some amazing, award winning enhancements all designed in Aus.

My only concern, which is political, is whilst we need to partner the US to assist us defend our 'freedom'....we also need to 'trust' China as a partner and that they will not threaten out freedom.

I dont think 99.9% of Aussies are threatened by China, but through allies, its a global chess board.

EA-18G will also apparently be upgraded to Advanced Growler. Project Air 5439 Phase 6.

This will be more upgrades other than NGJ.

aviationweek.com...

The U.S. Navy has laid out an Advanced Growler roadmap for its Boeing EA-16G electronic attack aircraft, with potential upgrades including the Raytheon Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) pod, conformal fuel tanks and a wideband data link. Unlike the industry-led Advanced Super Hornet (ASH) effort to demonstrate potential improvements for the F/A-18E/F strike fighter, Advanced Growler is a Navy initiative, says Dan Gillian, Boeing vice president for F/A-18 and EA-18G programs.

aviationweek.com...

I'm starting to think our Air Force is bordering on overkill. The amount of new systems we have been receiving and will continue to receive has been unbelievable. JSOW, JASSM, JSM, F/A-18F, EA-18G, NGJ, E-7A AEW&C, P-8A, KC-30A, JORN Phase 6, C-17A, SDB. On the Navy side AEGIS & ASMD. Bad ass. Anyone know what our mission capable rate is?

You only have 24 million people but you have a lot of area to defend. Your isolation is a defense but the world is shrinking. You need more aircraft and more destroyers.

a reply to: Blackfinger

Boeing has and continues to do a lot of development work on the quiet in Australia. They just announced a bunch of things they've been working on at Avalon.

They flew Top Cover down there multiple times without anyone being the wiser.

Having dealt with Boeing a little bit through the base at Oakey the process has been noted as "difficult":..The Museum workshop had a lot of business through the base not having the capabilities to do basic work anymore.

a reply to: Blackfinger

Australia commits to NGJ, well its not like you have a choice if you buy into the ALQ-99 towards the twilight of its career.

Its a shame really that the USAF stupidly chose to leave the manned jammer business in the mid 90's. A re-engined EF-111 combined with NGJ would have been formidable for both countries. But I guess an advanced Growler is a lot better than nothing. Maybe someone can convince the USAF to buy 4 or 5 dozen too?

a reply to: Zaphod58

There sunshine coast treated me well

Posting to watch developments

a reply to: penroc3
From Amberly its only a 2 hr drive

a reply to: Blackfinger

i miss AUS, i remember going to Nimbin...... well kinda remember it

a reply to: penroc3

If you only "kinda remember it" then you have certainly been to Nimbin. Lol

a reply to: Zaphod58

You'll get good input were pretty good at combat electronics we modified the F111's to a standard where the USAF-air national guard came to us for our kit.

The first Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band EMD pod has been delivered to the Navy for ground integration testing. They plan to fly a Prime Power Generation Capability pod on a Gulfstream late this year in support of flight clearance operations.

www.flightglobal.com...

First flight with the NGJ-MB pod occurred with VX-23 on August 7.

www.navair.navy.mil...

Soon to be activated in a neighborhood near you.

I know, not. But think of the possibilities. That guy sitting at the green light in front of you staring at his fricken phone?

a reply to: Zaphod58

big pod

The NGJ-LB is in final DET testing.