L3Harris Technologies has completed the initial F-16 Viper Shield electronic warfare suites as it expands full-rate manufacturing to fulfill an order for 233 systems for eight allied nations.
The milestone includes 35 countermeasure systems, designed to improve threat detection, disrupt hostile signals, and manage the electromagnetic spectrum during combat.
Viper Shield is a software-defined digital electronic warfare system developed as a primary protective capability for F-16 fighter jets. It can be integrated internally or installed in an external pod.
The system is fully interoperable with the APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, making it compatible with new F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft as well as older F-16 airframes.
L3Harris uses commercial off-the-shelf components to maintain a lightweight architecture and support future software and hardware upgrades.
Driving Production Efficiency
According to the company, foreign partners have contributed $1 billion to support the program, helping establish an active supply chain that could generate savings for the US military.
Additional partner nations that select Viper Shield will be able to access the existing production line immediately, supporting faster procurement and integration.
