Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Defence
  • /
  • BAE Systems to enhance F-35 Electronic Warfare capabilities

Defence

BAE Systems to enhance F-35 Electronic Warfare capabilities

BAE Systems has received a Block 4 Modernisation contract award from Lockheed Martin to enhance the offensive and defensive electronic warfare (EW) capabilities of the F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation fighter aircraft.


   
Above: A 33rd Fighter Wing F-35A Lightning II flies over Volk Field, Wisconsin, during Northern Lightning, 22nd August 2016.
Courtesy USAF

Under the contract, BAE Systems will modernise its AN/ASQ-239 electronic warfare/countermeasures (EW/CM) system to address emerging threats and maintain US and allied warfighters' ability to safely conduct missions in contested airspace.

Advertisement
Teledyne

"The F-35 will be in service for decades and we're committed to providing our pilots with an AN/ASQ-239 capability that affords a decisive and sustained EW operational advantage," said Deborah Norton, VP of F-35 Solutions at BAE Systems. "Our robust, modular architecture enables us to efficiently insert new capabilities, supporting the next wave of technical innovation while proactively addressing total product lifecycle sustainability."

BAE Systems has been the EW supplier for the F-35 programme for the past 14 years, successfully designing and developing the Block 1, Block 2 and Block 3 configurations and delivering production units for each of the Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lots 1-11.

The Block 4 programme is a multi-year, multi-contract design and development effort that will add eleven new capabilities to the EW system. These improvements will be made as part of the new F-35 agile contracting and development paradigm called Continuous Capability Development and Delivery (C2D2). The C2D2 construct is one in which capabilities are continuously being developed and fielded in 6-12 month intervals, providing warfighters with incremental enhancements to keep pace with the evolving threats.

BAE Systems has delivered more than 500 F-35 AN/ASQ-239 EW/CM shipsets to date and is currently matching aircraft production with continual on-time delivery as the programme ramps to full-rate production. As part of its rigorous development process, the company invested in process automation, facility optimisation, quality assurance, human capital and supply chain excellence to deliver capabilities to the warfighter with speed and agility.

Advertisement
Leonardo RT

 


 

Advertisement
PTC PTC
Industry delivers UK defence dividend

Defence

Industry delivers UK defence dividend

2 July 2025

Research by Oxford Economics has revealed that the UK Government’s ambition to deliver a 'defence dividend' is already taking effect, with the nation’s biggest defence company, BAE Systems, contributing £13.7 billion to national GDP in 2024, accounting for one in every £200 of the country’s economic output.

DE&S sells three Royal Marines hovercraft to Pakistan Navy

Defence

DE&S sells three Royal Marines hovercraft to Pakistan Navy

2 July 2025

Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) has completed the sale of three Landing Craft Air Cushion (Light) (LCAC(L)) hovercraft and all associated spares to the Pakistan Navy.

Siemens and NVIDIA team to drive AI in advanced manufacturing

Aerospace Defence Security

Siemens and NVIDIA team to drive AI in advanced manufacturing

2 July 2025

Siemens and NVIDIA are expanding their partnership to accelerate the next era of industrial AI and digitalisation, towards enabling the factory of the future.

DSEI UK 2025 Tech Zone reflects MoD’s call for rapid defence innovation

Defence Security Events

DSEI UK 2025 Tech Zone reflects MoD’s call for rapid defence innovation

2 July 2025

With the Ministry of Defence doubling down on technology to futureproof the UK’s armed forces, this year’s DSEI UK (9th–12th September, Excel London) will unveil its updated Tech Zone with more than 100 tech companies, a hub for the cutting-edge innovation which is set to reshape British defence and security.

Advertisement
Leonardo RT
Marshall completes sale of Slingsby Advanced Composites to Mangohojden AB

Aerospace Defence

Marshall completes sale of Slingsby Advanced Composites to Mangohojden AB

2 July 2025

Marshall has announced the completion of the sale of its subsidiary, Slingsby Advanced Composites Ltd., to Mangohojden AB, formerly known as Goldcup 101485 AB, a privately held Swedish company seeking to develop a group of specialist aerospace and defence businesses.

Lucideon and MTC enter strategic partnership

Aerospace Defence

Lucideon and MTC enter strategic partnership

1 July 2025

Development and commercialisation organisation (DCO) specialising in advanced materials, Lucideon, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) to drive next-gen performance in advanced ceramics.

Advertisement
Gulfstream RT