The Navy Is About To Sail With Its Next Big Leap In Shipboard Electronic Warfare Systems

Updated Nov 27, 2020 6:13 PM EST

They aren’t as exciting as high-tech missiles , Gatling guns , or even lasers , but the electronic warfare systems, and their associated decoys, installed aboard U.S. Navy ships are arguably the most important components on board when it comes to defending the ship from missile attacks. Now, the biggest leap in the Navy’s shipboard electronic warfare arsenal is about to be deployed for the first time.

Northrop Grumman’s latest iteration of the long-running AN/SLQ-32 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) family of electronic warfare systems, which are designed to defend ships against anti-ship missile attacks, provide enhanced situational awareness across the electromagnetic spectrum, and, in some cases, execute other electronic warfare functions, is about to hit the sea. The new system is dubbed the AN/SLQ-32(V)7 SEWIP Block III.

An earlier variant of the AN/SLQ-32 family aboard an Arleigh Burke class destroyer. , USN

SEWIP Block III follows the relatively recent fielding of SEWIP Block II. While the former greatly enhanced the situational awareness provided by the system and streamlined the hardware and software configurations that underpin it, the latter will provide cutting-edge electronic attack capability, one that is far more dynamic than what exists in earlier SEWIP iterations, including their add-on jammers, like Sidekick. You can read all about SEWIP Block II and Block III in this past piece of ours .

SEWIP Block III and Block II are part of the Navy’s Integrated Topside initiative that aims to reduce and streamline the numerous arrays and antennas that are scattered around a surface combatant’s deck and superstructure and integrate them into a more seamless architecture.

These latest iterations of SEWIP, which has an operational lineage dating back over four decades, are critical to be able to defeat emerging threats and to leverage what has become a renaissance in electronic warfare across the services . The Navy, in particular, is working on extremely ambitious distributed concepts to dominate the electronic battlespace and confuse and blind the enemy. SEWIP Block III, with its next-generation active jamming technology, is likely to be a major part of this and will allow groups of ships to better work together to defeat threats electronically.

Northrop Grumman’s press release that accompanied the photo of the system at the top of this article states:

Northrop Grumman’s approach to this system is centered on a ‘software defined, hardware enabled’ open architecture that quickly integrates with other combat systems while adopting the latest electronic attack capabilities to ensure the system remains ahead of the threat and supports the U.S. Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) CONOPS. The $100.7 million base contract is for the first follow on production lot of AN/SLQ-32(V)7 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 3 electronic warfare systems. The contract has a maximum value of $1.16 billion. The system will be installed initially on Arleigh-Burke class destroyers and is scalable to other ship classes. SEWIP Block 3 is the third in a series of incremental upgrades that adds an electronic attack (EA) capability to the AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare (EW) system to defend ships against anti-ship missiles. The program is managed by the U.S. Navy Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS). “With this follow on production award, Northrop Grumman will continue to provide game-changing maritime EW capability that will underpin future Fleet Electromagnetic Maneuver Warfare operations” said Ingrid Vaughan, vice president and general manager, maritime/land systems and sensors, Northrop Grumman. “We are writing a new chapter in the evolution of the AN/SLQ-32 that will fundamentally change how the Fleet will win the fight for years to come.”

Northrop Grumman’s approach to this system is centered on a ‘software defined, hardware enabled’ open architecture that quickly integrates with other combat systems while adopting the latest electronic attack capabilities to ensure the system remains ahead of the threat and supports the U.S. Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) CONOPS.

The $100.7 million base contract is for the first follow on production lot of AN/SLQ-32(V)7 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 3 electronic warfare systems. The contract has a maximum value of $1.16 billion. The system will be installed initially on Arleigh-Burke class destroyers and is scalable to other ship classes.

SEWIP Block 3 is the third in a series of incremental upgrades that adds an electronic attack (EA) capability to the AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare (EW) system to defend ships against anti-ship missiles. The program is managed by the U.S. Navy Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS).

“With this follow on production award, Northrop Grumman will continue to provide game-changing maritime EW capability that will underpin future Fleet Electromagnetic Maneuver Warfare operations” said Ingrid Vaughan, vice president and general manager, maritime/land systems and sensors, Northrop Grumman. “We are writing a new chapter in the evolution of the AN/SLQ-32 that will fundamentally change how the Fleet will win the fight for years to come.”

It isn’t exactly clear what the final SEWIP Block III configuration will look like, although the enclosure of arrays and emitters shown in the image at the top of this post gives us at least a partial idea of what will be included with the production system.

This official artist rendering of SEWIP Block III looks very similar to the image of the test unit at the top of this post, Northrop Grumman

SEWIP Block III has been developed alongside a far murkier system that was rushed into service in the Pacific and has since migrated to other vessels across the U.S. Navy’s fleet. That system is known as the AN/SLQ-59, which you can read more about in this past feature of ours . It remains unclear what the relationship will be with this system and SEWIP Block III once the latter is fielded.

AN/SLQ-59 aboard an Arleigh Burke class destroyer based in Japan., Hunini/wikicommons

While defending a ship against anti-ship missile attacks and providing situational awareness as to threats in its vicinity are the bread and butter of SEWIP, the Block III variant is likely to be able to do other things. These could include jamming enemy communications, data-links, drone transmissions, and executing direct electronic attacks on assets such as aircraft and other ships. A communications role in the future may even be possible. The backend software and inherent adaptability of the system will also allow it to be modified with relative ease and take advantage of new electronic surveillance and attack capabilities. These may include leveraging non-organic emitters, like the powerful SPY-6 AESA radar that may be back fitted for older Fight II Arleigh Burke class destroyers and will be standard on newer Flight III ones .

As it sits today, SEWIP Block III is set to debut in its initial configuration next year aboard an Arleigh Burke class destroyer. When it arrives, it will usher in a new era in naval electronic warfare for America’s seagoing service’s surface combatants.

After this story was published, Northrop Grumman sent me this new hi-res shot showing the AN/SLQ-32V7 SEWIP Block III enclosure. The image shows just how massive this installation actually is! It will really change the look of the ships it is installed on. It is literally a big upgrade.

Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com

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更新于美国东部时间2020年11月27日下午6:13。

它们或许不如高科技导弹、加特林机枪甚至激光武器那样引人注目，但美国海军舰艇上安装的电子战系统及其相关诱饵可以说是舰上防御导弹攻击最重要的组成部分。如今，海军舰载电子战武器库中的最大飞跃即将首次部署。

诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司最新研发的AN/SLQ-32水面电子战改进计划（SEWIP）系列电子战系统即将投入使用。该系统旨在防御反舰导弹攻击，增强整个电磁频谱的态势感知能力，并在某些情况下执行其他电子战功能。这款新系统被命名为AN/SLQ-32(V)7 SEWIP Block III。

一艘阿利·伯克级驱逐舰上搭载了早期型号的AN/SLQ-32雷达。

SEWIP Block III 是在 SEWIP Block II 部署之后推出的。前者极大地增强了系统的态势感知能力，并简化了支撑其运行的硬件和软件配置，而后者将提供尖端的电子攻击能力，其动态性远超以往的 SEWIP 版本，包括其附加干扰器，例如 Sidekick。您可以在我们之前的文章中了解有关 SEWIP Block II 和 Block III 的全部信息。

SEWIP Block III 和 Block II 是海军一体化上层建筑计划的一部分，该计划旨在减少和简化散布在水面作战舰艇甲板和上层建筑周围的众多阵列和天线，并将它们集成到一个更无缝的架构中。

SEWIP（电子战信息处理系统）的最新版本拥有超过四十年的运行历史，对于应对新兴威胁以及充分利用各军种电子战的复兴至关重要。特别是海军，正在致力于开发雄心勃勃的分布式作战概念，以主导电子战场，迷惑并压制敌方。SEWIP Block III 搭载了新一代主动干扰技术，有望成为这一战略的重要组成部分，并使舰艇编队能够更好地协同作战，以电子方式击败威胁。

本文顶部系统照片附带的诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司新闻稿称：

诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司针对该系统采用“软件定义、硬件赋能”的开放式架构，能够快速与其他作战系统集成，同时采用最新的电子攻击能力，确保系统始终领先于威胁，并支持美国海军的分布式海上作战（DMO）概念。这份价值1.007亿美元的基础合同用于AN/SLQ-32(V)7水面电子战改进计划（SEWIP）Block 3电子战系统的首批后续生产。合同最高价值可达11.6亿美元。该系统将首先安装在阿利·伯克级驱逐舰上，并可扩展至其他舰艇。SEWIP Block 3是AN/SLQ-32电子战（EW）系统一系列增量升级中的第三个版本，旨在为其增加电子攻击（EA）能力，以防御舰艇免受反舰导弹的攻击。该项目由美国海军综合作战系统项目执行办公室（PEO IWS）负责管理。 “凭借此次后续生产合同，诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司将继续提供颠覆性的海上电子战能力，这将为未来的舰队电磁机动战行动奠定基础，”诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司海事/陆地系统与传感器副总裁兼总经理英格丽德·沃恩表示。“我们正在谱写AN/SLQ-32发展历程的新篇章，这将从根本上改变舰队未来数年的作战方式。”

诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司对该系统的设计方法以“软件定义，硬件支持”的开放式架构为中心，能够快速与其他作战系统集成，同时采用最新的电子攻击能力，以确保系统始终领先于威胁，并支持美国海军的分布式海上作战（DMO）概念。

这份价值1.007亿美元的基础合同是AN/SLQ-32(V)7水面电子战改进计划（SEWIP）Block 3电子战系统的首批后续生产批次。合同最高价值可达11.6亿美元。该系统将首先安装在阿利·伯克级驱逐舰上，并可扩展至其他舰艇级别。

SEWIP Block 3是AN/SLQ-32电子战系统系列升级中的第三个阶段，旨在为其增加电子攻击（EA）能力，以防御舰艇免受反舰导弹攻击。该项目由美国海军综合作战系统项目执行办公室（PEO IWS）负责管理。

“凭借此次后续生产合同，诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司将继续提供颠覆性的海上电子战能力，这将为未来的舰队电磁机动战行动奠定基础，”诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司海事/陆地系统与传感器副总裁兼总经理英格丽德·沃恩表示。“我们正在谱写AN/SLQ-32发展历程的新篇章，这将从根本上改变舰队未来数年的作战方式。”

虽然目前还不清楚最终的 SEWIP Block III 配置会是什么样子，但本文顶部图片中显示的阵列和发射器外壳至少让我们对生产系统中将包含的内容有了一些了解。

这张SEWIP Block III的官方效果图与本文顶部的测试样机图片非常相似，诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司出品。

SEWIP Block III 与一套更为复杂的系统同时研发，这套系统在太平洋地区仓促投入使用，之后又陆续部署到美国海军舰队的其他舰艇上。这套系统名为 AN/SLQ-59，您可以在我们之前的专题报道中了解更多信息。目前尚不清楚 SEWIP Block III 部署后，AN/SLQ-59 与 SEWIP Block III 之间将存在怎样的关系。

一架停泊在日本的阿利·伯克级驱逐舰上的AN/SLQ-59。图片来源：Hunini/wikicommons

虽然防御反舰导弹攻击和提供舰艇附近威胁的态势感知是SEWIP系统的核心功能，但Block III改进型可能具备其他功能。这些功能可能包括干扰敌方通信、数据链和无人机传输，以及对飞机和其他舰艇等目标实施直接电子攻击。未来甚至可能具备通信能力。该系统的后端软件和固有的适应性使其能够相对轻松地进行改装，并利用新的电子监视和攻击能力。这些能力可能包括利用非有机发射源，例如强大的SPY-6 AESA雷达，该雷达可以改装到较老的Flight II型阿利·伯克级驱逐舰上，并将成为新型Flight III型驱逐舰的标配。

目前来看，SEWIP Block III 计划明年在阿利·伯克级驱逐舰上以初始配置首次亮相。届时，它将为美国海军水面作战舰艇开启海军电子战的新纪元。

这篇文章发表后，诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司发给我一张新的高清照片，展示了AN/SLQ-32V7 SEWIP Block III的机柜。照片清晰地展现了这套装置的庞大规模！它将彻底改变安装舰船的外观，堪称一次巨大的升级。

联系作者：Tyler@thedrive.com

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