Marotta Controls has entered the US airborne electronic warfare market after securing two awards connected with the Navy’s Next Generation Jammer-Low Band system. The company will provide technology and engineering assistance for the NGJ-LB, which is being developed for the EA-18G Growler. Marotta’s involvement comes through a CFD Research subcontract as well as a separate direct award from L3Harris Technologies, the programme’s prime contractor. Through the CFD Research arrangement, the company will contribute to the Turbine Speed Control System that regulates the ram-air-turbine power-generation equipment installed inside the jammer pod. NGJ-LB is one of several variants within the Navy’s Next Generation Jammer family and is being developed to enhance and ultimately replace the AN/ALQ-99 jamming equipment operated by the EA-18G. The Growler, derived from the F/A-18F Super Hornet, is dedicated to electronic attack missions and is equipped to interfere with hostile radar and communications networks. Different NGJ variants address separate portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, while the Low Band model focuses on lower-frequency threats. L3Harris received a $587.4-million US Navy engineering and manufacturing development contract in August 2024. The five-year award calls for eight operational prototype pods for fleet testing, in addition to other test hardware needed for airworthiness and design validation. NGJ-LB uses digital signal processing and electronically scanned array technology to perform airborne electronic attack missions. Its architecture is also intended to allow future updates as adversary systems and electronic warfare requirements evolve. The Navy has identified the system as a major next step in airborne electronic attack and expects it to support EA-18G operations for both the United States and Australia.
