Raytheon’s electronic warfare prototype for Super Hornet passes review

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. - Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE:RTX) business, a prominent player in the Aerospace & Defense sector with a market capitalization of $211.8 billion, announced Monday it has completed a major review of its Advanced Electronic Warfare (ADVEW) prototype being developed for the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jets. According to InvestingPro data, RTX shares are trading near their 52-week high, with an impressive year-to-date return of 38.7%.

The review validated the prototype’s software development progress, including its integration with flight-representative hardware and other self-protect subsystems, according to a company press release.

The ADVEW system is designed to replace current electronic warfare systems on the aircraft to enhance defensive capabilities and survivability by improving threat detection and countermeasures.

"Our ADVEW prototype continues to showcase significant progress in both hardware and software," said Daniel Theisen, president of Advanced Products & Solutions at Raytheon, in a statement.

Raytheon also completed a Test Plan Working Group to coordinate evaluation of the system’s in-flight performance. The company plans to conduct further demonstrations and deliver shipsets for government-run integration testing in the coming months.

The development follows what the company describes as an accelerated fielding timeline requested by the U.S. Navy for the Super Hornet, which serves as the Navy’s primary strike fighter aircraft.

The prototype development represents part of ongoing modernization efforts for the F/A-18E/F platform, which has been in service with the U.S. Navy since 1999.

In other recent news, RTX Corp. has been awarded a $670.2 million contract modification for F135 propulsion system spares, supporting the Joint Strike Fighter program. This contract involves the procurement of initial spares by RTX’s Pratt and Whitney Military Engines division. Additionally, Raytheon Co., a part of RTX, has secured two significant U.S. Navy contracts totaling approximately $436 million for radar systems and missile production capacity enhancement. These contracts include a $219.9 million order for components in the MK99 fire control system and other radar systems.

Raytheon also received a $43.2 million contract modification for redesigning the Steering Control Section of the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) All-Up Round. In collaboration news, Pratt & Whitney has partnered with PBS Group to develop a next-generation auxiliary power unit (APU) for commercial and military aircraft. This partnership aims to create APUs with higher power density and reduced size and weight. Furthermore, Pratt & Whitney is developing a new family of engines with thrust capabilities ranging from 500 to 1,800 pounds, designed for munitions and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. These developments highlight the ongoing strategic initiatives and contract wins for RTX Corp. and its subsidiaries.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.