The ALQ-257 Built-in Viper Digital Warfare Suite is on observe for speedy fielding on 72 U.S. Air Pressure F-16s, in addition to the Military’s ME-11B HADES.
Northrop Grumman’s AN/ALQ-257 Built-in Viper Digital Warfare Suite (IVEWS) is transferring quickly towards manufacturing and frontline fielding after finishing a collection of main developmental and operational milestones on U.S. Air Pressure F-16s. The system efficiently accomplished Operational Evaluation flight testing earlier this yr and can quickly equip the F-16 Block 50.
Because the service appears to maintain its massive fourth-generation fleet viable towards more and more agile and unpredictable threats, IVEWS is rising as one of the crucial consequential survivability upgrades ever launched on the Viper, because the F-16 is named by its crews. The system has demonstrated strong efficiency in each managed take a look at environments and demanding real-world electromagnetic eventualities throughout bigger take a look at occasions.
Lt. Col. Christopher B. James, Deputy Division Chief for USAF F-16 Packages, highlighted the importance of the Operational Evaluation’s completion, noting that IVEWS “labored throughout its first flight on two plane, which is unprecedented for a fancy and absolutely built-in digital warfare system.” He added that the mixing and efficiency validated the system’s unofficial motto: “IVEWS, works first time, each time.”
We lately had an opportunity to interview Northrop Grumman’s group engaged on IVEWS to get a greater understanding of the system.
Built-in Viper Digital Warfare Suite
The AN/ALQ-257 Built-in Viper Digital Warfare Suite (IVEWS) is designed to equip the F-16 with Digital Warfare (EW) capabilities on par with the most recent era plane. This enables to considerably enhancing survivability for operations in contested and congested electromagnetic spectrum environments and retaining the Viper deadly and survivable.
IVEWS can robotically detect, determine, observe and jam radio frequency threats, in addition to single-ship geolocate them with out the necessity for triangulation in cooperation with different plane. This enables the system to interchange numerous legacy methods for improved safety.
The system is designed as a totally digital, ultra-wideband inside digital warfare suite, thus eradicating the necessity for exterior pods, often carried on the centerline of the plane. Such pods often current some limitations not solely of their efficiency, but additionally within the efficiency of the jet.
To make sure IVEWS delivers F-16 safety now and into the long run, the corporate mentioned particular and deliberate {hardware} investments have been crucial. Whereas present {hardware} areas have been utilized to the utmost extent doable, IVEWS is a completely new system changing outdated 35+ yr previous methods on the plane.
Particularly, IVEWS makes use of the USG-procured EW controller and related colour menace show for major management and show functions, in addition to for controlling all expendable countermeasures. The pilot might also work together with IVEWS and show info utilizing the Middle Pedestal Show (CPD) being put in with the PoBIT improve.
The system has a full complement of antennas distributed on the airframe which permits it to obtain indicators in a 360 levels bubble across the plane. It even have transmitter antennas to cowl the identical bubble, in addition to a central, foremost processor – the brains of the system – and RF amplifiers to place out the RF power to suppress the menace radars.
IVEWS was first chosen by the U.S. Air Pressure as a part of a contest in 2019, 9 months sooner than deliberate, and is now a Program of Report for F-16 EW. The superior inside EW system is designed to work seamlessly with the plane’s new APG-83 Energetic Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which is now being put in throughout the fleet.
Notably, whereas it was particularly developed to equip the F-16, IVEWS has additionally been chosen to equip the U.S. Military’s ME-11B Excessive Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) platform, the service’s modified Bombardier World 6500 enterprise jets for intelligence gathering.
A Trendy EW Suite for an Evolving Menace Atmosphere
The radio frequency battlespace has develop into more and more dense, dynamic and unpredictable. The place threats have been as soon as mounted and mapped prematurely, trendy adversaries now depend on cellular, quickly shifting, software-driven radars and jammers that activate solely when an plane is already inside engagement vary.
“The RF surroundings has bought increasingly congested,” instructed us James Conroy, Vice President of Digital Warfare and Focusing on at Northrop Grumman. “There are such a lot of indicators on the market and looking for the RF menace’s radar sign is like looking for a needle in a haystack. For those who don’t have superior {hardware}, superior processing and algorithms, you actually can’t discover these superior threats and be in place for the long run.”
Conroy careworn how this shift in immediately’s RF surroundings has elevated the urgency for integrating trendy, adaptable EW capabilities. Classes realized over time led not solely to a change in air techniques, but additionally a change in techniques of ground-based air defenses.
“A long time in the past, the RF surroundings was such that folks might pre-plan and use techniques to know the place the threats have been,” defined Conroy. “Threats now are transferring across the battlespace, and so they’re not simply transferring round, however they aren’t all the time on.”
With threats changing into more and more unpredictable, automation is the important thing to a fast response and improved safety. Throughout probably the most intense phases of a mission, when the pilot is perhaps centered on extra pressing duties at hand, an automatic functionality is perhaps the distinction between life and demise.
“You’ve got individuals flying into the weapons engagement zone, and so they don’t even realize it till the RF menace activates, and it might be concentrating on them and launching threats at them,” mentioned Conroy. “Having a system that robotically does that and robotically protects the plane takes quite a lot of the workload off the pilots to allow them to deal with their mission.”
To try this, IVEWS makes use of an ultra-wideband digital receiver structure to sift by the more and more cluttered RF surroundings, which is populated not solely by radars but additionally by civilian emitters like mobile towers, satellite tv for pc radios and industrial communication methods. The system identifies and geolocates the true menace indicators – the “needle within the haystack,” as Conroy described it – whereas concurrently making use of lively jamming and countermeasures.
Notably, IVEWS performs geolocation robotically and transparently to the pilot, and the operate can function concurrently with detection and jamming – one thing earlier F-16 EW methods couldn’t do concurrently.
“Classically, whenever you wish to geolocate a menace on an F-16 or one other platform, you must flip in your jamming to let you do geolocation,” defined Conroy. “IVEWS does all geolocation within the background, it does all of that autonomously so the pilot can deal with the mission at hand. Finally, what we’re enabling is the pilots exit, fly their mission and return house safely.”
IVEWS can generate single-ship geolocated menace info. As soon as threats have been geolocated, F-16s can simply share these threats’ areas.
Digital Interoperability With the SABR AESA Radar
A defining function of IVEWS is its deep integration with Northrop Grumman’s APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR), the brand new AESA radar which has been put in on a whole bunch of F-16s worldwide.
“We acknowledged since day one which we wanted the interoperability between SABR and IVEWS in an effort to make the F-16 as operationally related as doable,” mentioned Conroy. “We knew that interoperability needed to be a totally digital interoperability.”
The 2 methods talk digitally on a pulse-to-pulse foundation, with IVEWS in a position to see all SABR’s radar pulses and filter them out digitally. This enables SABR to function at full efficiency with out filtering or blanking whereas IVEWS concurrently detects and counters hostile emitters.
“There was a Massive Pressure Train the place the F-16 with the IVEWS system had superior air threats and superior floor threats within the surroundings,” instructed us Conroy. “[IVEWS] was suppressing each of these and stopping them from getting tracks on the F-16, whereas the SABR radar was getting into and doing a few of its superior modes.”
Northrop has delivered greater than 900 SABR radars globally, with the U.S. Air Pressure procuring the radar for the F-16’s Radar Modernization Program. Due to this, the corporate sees the mixed SABR + IVEWS structure as central to retaining the Viper related effectively into the 2030s.
System Validation and Menace-Atmosphere Testing
IVEWS has gone by the complete complement of trade lab testing and authorities lab testing, and has been in flight testing for over a yr. Conroy instructed us that, inside that yr, the system has flown over 300 sorties and over 500 flight hours.
Two F-16 Block 50 plane are getting used for testing of the brand new EW system. Conroy defined that the jets are being examined towards probably the most superior air threats, floor threats and probably the most superior floor threats and a mix of these on the identical time.
Notably, in line with the serials within the launched images, the 2 F-16s which can be getting used to check IVEWS are among the many ones that have been additionally used to check SABR forward of its introduction within the Air Pressure.
These plane took half in a number of testing occasions. As talked about earlier, throughout a LFE, the F-16s have been in a position to suppress each air and floor threats concurrently whereas nonetheless having the ability to make use of the SABR radar.
There have been additionally studies about IVEWS being described as a “mini Growler.” We talked about this with Conroy, and he instructed us “There was a remark from a pilot and mainly what they have been speaking about was the truth that now we have a lot RF transmit energy that we can’t solely present self-protection for the platform that the IVEWS system is put in on, however we are able to kind of prolong that efficiency and survivability bubble round different ships which can be throughout the formation.
A Path to Speedy Fielding
Following the Operational Evaluation, manufacturing is predicted to start quickly, with this summer time’s reconciliation package deal offering $187 million in funding to finish the certification. One other $250 million is included within the FY26 appropriations invoice for the primary full-rate manufacturing lot.
IVEWS is #1 on CENTCOM’s Unfunded Precedence Checklist, and AFCENT has submitted an Pressing Operational Want for 72 F-16s outfitted with IVEWS. Conroy beforehand instructed us in an emailed assertion that the corporate expects the primary IVEWS-equipped combat-coded jets in late CY2027.
CENTCOM-based Vipers have been closely engaged lately, taking pictures down Iranian drones launched towards Israel, working close to Russian air defenses in Syria, countering threats from Iran and its proxies, and responding to Houthi assaults from Yemen. Notably, the Air Pressure lately awarded Lt. Col. William “Skate” Parks, former commander of the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, the Silver Star Medal for his actions throughout a mission in March 2025 by which he got here underneath heavy fireplace whereas flying an F-16 Block 50.
Lt. Gen. Derek France, commander of Air Forces Central, described IVEWS as “one in every of many efforts to maintain our fourth-gen platforms aggressive because the adversary advances.”
The corporate says IVEWS could be put in by a Contractor Area Staff (CFT), both as a standalone effort or in coordination with different ongoing upgrades. It’s unclear if there might be synergies with the PoBIT improve effort.
Breaking Protection reported that the renewed urgency adopted earlier funding stagnation, as Air Pressure useful resource priorities had shifted towards future platforms. With threats intensifying, nevertheless, the service is now pushing to area the system as rapidly as doable.
A Pod-Free Inner Resolution With Progress Potential
Not like legacy podded methods such because the ALQ-131 or ALQ-184, the ALQ-257 is an inside line-replaceable unit, liberating up the plane’s centerline station for added gas or weapons. Furthermore, legacy ECM pods weigh roughly 600-800 kilos, whereas IVEWS is lighter by round 50%.
This facet is to not be underestimated as, with the U.S. gearing as much as struggle over the Pacific, the F-16 will be capable to carry a 3rd exterior gas tank on the centerline, additional extending its vary. The crews is not going to want anymore to decide on between extra vary or improved EW safety.
Preliminary fielding of IVEWS will happen on Block 50/52 plane. “The system is designed to work with the Block 50 and the Publish Block plane, that’s what we’re primarily centered on, however we anticipate it to be extensible to many different variations of the fighter plane,” mentioned Conroy.
In an emailed assertion, he additional defined: “Very minor required Group A modifications have been funded within the Reconciliation Regulation, permitting Block 40/42 plane to simply settle for IVEWS, as effectively. We might additionally be capable to combine IVEWS on Block 25/30 plane at a buyer’s request, because the plane inside volumes and areas are the identical.”
Worldwide curiosity can also be rising. Türkiye has already dedicated to integrating IVEWS on its F-16s when obtainable, with a Letter of Request for the mixing on its future F-16s Block 70. “We’re additionally in dialog with numerous different nations which can be concerned about placing it probably on their new Block 70s in addition to those who have already got Block 50s,” added Conroy.
Though optimized for the F-16, the corporate has famous that the modular structure might assist different plane. In truth, as talked about earlier, because of the demonstrated efficiency and modularity of IVEWS, the U.S. Military chosen it because the survivability suite for the brand new HADES platform, which relies on a enterprise jet.
A Essential Improve for the Viper’s Future
As peer and near-peer threats proceed to evolve, the U.S. Air Pressure is more and more counting on superior EW options to make sure its fourth-generation platforms stay viable in contested environments. With the F-16 nonetheless comprising a considerable portion of the U.S. and allied tactical aviation stock, the introduction of IVEWS represents a major leap in survivability.
“IVEWS has persistently demonstrated class-leading efficiency as a contemporary survivability suite for the F-16,” mentioned Conroy in an emailed assertion. “The superior applied sciences designed into IVEWS, mixed with direct digital connectivity with SABR, ensures that modernized F-16s will proceed to be relied upon as a trusted and efficient fighter asset alongside fifth and sixth gen platforms for years to return.”
With manufacturing funding secured and an operational want driving speedy fielding, the IVEWS is on observe to develop into one of the crucial necessary upgrades within the Viper’s lengthy service life.
