SYRACUSE, N.Y., JAN. 13, 2017 – Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] will build on its 45-year legacy of integrated electronic warfare system success under a newly awarded U.S. Navy development contract to provide MH-60 helicopters with enhanced electronic warfare surveillance and countermeasure capabilities against anti-ship missile (ASM) threats.

Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Off-Board Electronic Warfare (AOEW) Active Mission Payload (AMP) AN/ALQ-248 system, is a self-contained EW pod hosted by an MH-60R or MH-60S, which provides the Navy advanced ASM detection and response capabilities.

The AOEW program builds on Lockheed Martin’s legacy of proven electronic warfare solutions. The AOEW AMP AN/ALQ-248 can work independently or with the ship’s onboard electronic surveillance sensor, SEWIP Block 2 AN/SLQ-32(V)6, to detect an incoming missile and then evaluate where it is going. AOEW then uses radio frequency countermeasure techniques to deter the missile.

“Every day ships across the world are facing a variety of evolving threats,” said Joe Ottaviano, electronic warfare program director. “Our Advanced Off-Board Electronic Warfare AMP AN/ALQ-248 system will help create a coordinated attack against these threats, to keep our warfighters safe by controlling the electromagnetic spectrum and disrupting adversaries.”

Under this contract, if all options are exercised, Lockheed Martin will deliver up to 18 AOEW AMP AN/ALQ-248 pods to the U.S. Navy.

The AOEW program leverages expertise across Lockheed Martin. Manufacturing of the AOEW AN/ALQ-248 systems in Syracuse, N.Y., is slated to begin in early 2019 to meet the program’s 2021 initial operational capability goal. The Owego, N.Y., team will integrate the system onto the MH-60 helicopters, which are built by Sikorsky.

Press release Lockheed Martin