The Viper Defend pod shares commonality with the internally mounted variant and would supply the identical stage of safety from evolving threats.
U.S. firm L3Harris revealed on Sep. 25, 2025 the podded model of its AN/ALQ-254(V)1 Viper Defend digital warfare suite for the F-16 fleet, providing an possibility for operators of the jet as an alternative choice to the internally mounted variant. This comes practically one month after Poland chosen the Viper Defend for its F-16s as a part of the Mid-Life Improve.
The internally mounted Viper Defend consists of six line-replaceable items (LRUs) and a cockpit show, primarily based on an all-digital structure which makes use of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) expertise for enhanced system efficiency, a smaller type issue, lowered weight and simpler future upgrades. Developed in partnership with Lockheed Martin, the suite offers U.S. allies with “cutting-edge countermeasures towards refined, ever-changing threats,” says L3Harris.
Concerning the podded variant, L3Harris mentioned it will be appropriate for nations “trying to improve their F-16 fleets with superior L3Harris Viper Defend digital warfare (EW) safety […] that gives the identical stage of safety as an internally built-in system.”
Meet the Pod variant of our Viper Defend digital warfare system. 👇
Providing the identical stage of safety as an internally built-in system, the exterior Pod provides flexibility for nations augmenting EW capabilities in F-16 fleets. Study extra: pic.twitter.com/Io0CgvXviJ
— L3Harris (@L3HarrisTech) September 24, 2025
L3Harris’ President for House and Airborne Methods Ed Zoiss referred to the interior model when he named Poland among the many seven U.S. associate nations that selected the system for its “superior EW capabilities and ease of improve.” Within the firm’s press launch, he defined “Future prospects – particularly those that function the F-16 Block 50 or earlier – could choose the flexibleness of the Viper Defend exterior Pod to extend plane survivability.”
Podded Viper Defend
The picture of the pod launched by the corporate exhibits design and look a lot much like Northrop Grumman’s AN/ALQ-131(V) ECM (Digital Countermeasure) pod that’s already utilized by the F-16, but additionally different platforms such because the A-10, F-15, F-4 and F-111.
L3Harris’ inside variant of the Viper Defend first flew on an F-16C Block 70 of the Royal Bahraini Air Pressure in February 2025 at Edwards AFB, California, carried out by a pilot of the 416th Flight Check Squadron, Airpower Foundations Mixed Check Pressure. The corporate is already on contract to supply Viper Defend to seven worldwide companions, following Poland’s announcement, for set up on 168 F-16s.
Among the many F-16 Block 70s that can obtain the system, in keeping with FMS notifications, are Bahrain, Bulgaria, Morocco, Slovakia, Taiwan and probably the Philippines. Greece and Jordan are additionally buying Block 70s, however haven’t disclosed which EW suite they are going to use.
Viper Defend’s affordability is led to by an energetic manufacturing line and improvement funding by present associate nations, says L3Harris, beside its inside investments. The brand new pod requires a easy integration course of, permitting floor crews of F-16 operators “to swap a whole system from one plane to a different to fulfill mission necessities,” L3Harris added.
Each the podded and the interior system share an open-system design, industrial off-the-shelf expertise and software-defined structure. This enables straightforward future upgrades in each {hardware} and software program, together with compatibility with newer “high-tech radar and digital methods” to “additional improve situational consciousness, risk detection and countermeasure capabilities.”
The lighter, smaller and extra modular podded Viper Defend “suits on all F-16 blocks, from legacy to new,” says L3Harris. “Its line replaceable items (LRUs) may be simply eliminated and changed within the discipline, with room so as to add superior capabilities through 3U Versatile Efficiency Extension upgrades sooner or later,” the corporate says.
Moreover, the interior and the podded system have an identical inside elements right down to the identical half numbers, explains L3Harris, permitting floor “to swap a whole system from one plane to a different to fulfill mission necessities.”
